The 2026 edition of the Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in London for the first time on October 26.
This is to mark the 70th anniversary of the award being awarded to England’s Stanley Matthews in 1956.
The most prestigious individual prize in football is an award that, for many years, has been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele won last year, in a ceremony held in Paris by Groupe L’Equipe, owners of the France Football magazine.
The London venue for the 2026 ceremony was not revealed.
Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards in football history, having won the prestigious prize eight times — in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
His dominance was especially evident between 2009 and 2012, when he won the award four consecutive times, redefining attacking football with his creativity, dribbling ability, playmaking vision, and goal-scoring consistency.
Meanwhile, has won the Ballon d’Or five times, in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.
