The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is officially under way after France Football announced its 30-player men’s shortlist. The winner will be revealed at a ceremony in London on October 26, with defending champion Ousmane Dembélé, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi among the leading names.
Dembélé is seeking to retain the award after helping Paris Saint-Germain win a second consecutive Champions League title. PSG have the strongest representation on the shortlist, with nine players included: Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha.
Kane is nominated after another prolific season with Bayern Munich and England, while Mbappé’s goals for Real Madrid and France have placed him among the principal contenders. Mbappé also overtook Messi as the leading scorer in World Cup history during the summer tournament, reaching 22 goals.
Yamal is nominated for the third time and remains one of the most prominent candidates from the next generation. The Barcelona forward helped Spain win the World Cup and enjoyed a major season at club level, although he has said he does not intend to plead for votes.
Messi, now 39 and playing for Inter Miami, has also been shortlisted. His inclusion follows an outstanding World Cup campaign with Argentina, who reached the final, and extends his record number of Ballon d’Or nominations.
The full men’s shortlist also includes Jude Bellingham, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Luis Díaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel Magalhães, Erling Haaland, Lautaro Martínez, Michael Olise, Rodri, Declan Rice, William Saliba, Ferran Torres, Dayot Upamecano and Vinícius Júnior.
Raphinha and Pedri were among the notable omissions, despite their important roles for Barcelona. Their exclusions prompted criticism from the club’s sporting director, Deco, who called the decision a “global scandal.”
In the women’s award, Alexia Putellas is among the nominees after helping Barcelona win Liga F and the Women’s Champions League. The shortlist also includes Rose Lavelle, Alessia Russo, Alex Greenwood, Ewa Pajor and several other leading international players.
The award will ultimately reflect individual performance across the evaluation period, making the final vote a contest between Dembélé’s European success, Mbappé’s scoring record, Kane’s production, Yamal’s historic rise and Messi’s continued influence at the highest level.
