Ballon d'Or 2026: Time, How to Watch, Kane, Yamal and Mbappe

Updated 22:56 UTC

Harry Kane has won the men's Ballon d'Or for the first time. theScore reported that Kane beat Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe at the London Palladium in one of the closest races in recent years, and The Sun reported the same result, saying the England captain claimed the top prize ahead of Yamal and Mbappe and becomes the fifth English winner of the award. Flashscore reported at 22:52 UTC that Kane picked up the award from Ronaldo and was speechless, and Bulinews, published at 22:51 UTC, reported that the 33 year old Bayern Munich striker beat Yamal and Mbappe and becomes the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

theScore reported that Kane is the first Englishman to claim the honour since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a 25 year wait, that he scored 73 goals in 65 matches for club and country in 2025-26, with 61 of those goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich, and that England finished third at the World Cup in North America in the summer. Bulinews reported that Kane helped Bayern Munich secure the domestic double. Flashscore quoted Kane as saying: "Being in London is special, thank you to everyone who voted for me, I'm sure it was tough to pick." Flashscore also quoted him as saying: "Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, it's a real showing of what hard work and determination can do." With Alexia Putellas winning the women's award earlier in the ceremony, both main Ballon d'Or awards for 2026 are now decided.

Updated 22:40 UTC

Alexia Putellas has won the Ballon d'Or Feminin for the third time. NBC Sports reported in its live coverage that Michael Owen, the 2001 men's winner, presented the women's award at the London Palladium and that Putellas took the prize for the third time, her first in four years after her wins in 2021 and 2022. theScore also listed Putellas as the women's winner in its live results, saying she joins Aitana Bonmati, her compatriot and former Barcelona team mate, as the only players to win the award three times, and that Spanish players have now won it six years in a row. Bonmati, who won the previous three, was not nominated this year after a season in which she suffered a broken leg.

theScore reported that Putellas signed with London City Lionesses in July, that she led Barcelona to a quadruple last season including a fourth Champions League title, and that she recorded 26 goals and 15 assists in 53 matches in 2025-26. The striker awards were also presented: Harry Kane of Bayern Munich and England won the men's award, with theScore reporting 73 goals for club and country in 2025-26, including 61 in 51 matches for Bayern, and Charlyn Corral of Pachuca and Mexico won the women's award, NBC Sports and theScore both reported. The men's Ballon d'Or winner had still not been announced when this update was published.

Updated 22:09 UTC

Three more awards have been presented at the London Palladium. Bukayo Saka has won the Socrates Award for humanitarian work. Arsenal said Saka and his family have worked with Big Shoe, providing medical care and humanitarian aid for children and families in need, that the work has helped more than 100 children in Nigeria and across Africa with surgeries that would otherwise have been out of reach, and that it has funded emergency housing and shelters for families displaced by the earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco. USA TODAY reported that Saka read a letter during the ceremony from a 14 year old from Rwanda who was helped by Big Shoe, a children's medical charity he works with closely. Arsenal published its report at 21:44 UTC, USA TODAY reported the win in its live coverage at 21:46 UTC, and The Sun also reported the award.

Paris Saint-Germain have won Men's Club of the Year and Barcelona have won Women's Club of the Year. USA TODAY reported Barcelona's women's win at 21:52 UTC, noting that the club won a quadruple in 2025-26, made up of the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana Femenina and the UEFA Women's Champions League. Athlon Sports listed both club winners in its ceremony results, and AllFootball reported the PSG men's win at 22:04 UTC, saying PSG won the award again after defending their Champions League crown. The two main Ballon d'Or winners had still not been announced when this update was published.

Updated 22:00 UTC

The first awards of the night have been presented at the London Palladium. Lamine Yamal has won the men's Kopa Trophy for the best young player for a third straight year, becoming the first player to win the award three times in a row. The 19 year old Barcelona forward won La Liga with his club and the World Cup with Spain this year, and finished ahead of his Barcelona team mate Pau Cubarsi and the rest of the under 21 field. USA TODAY reported the result from the ceremony, and DAZN and Barca Blaugranes also reported Yamal's third straight win.

Barcelona also won the women's Kopa Trophy, with Vicky Lopez winning for a second straight year at age 20, USA TODAY and DAZN reported. The two coach awards also went to Spanish football: Pere Romeu of Barcelona won Women's Coach of the Year for the first time, and Luis de la Fuente, who led Spain to the World Cup, won Men's Coach of the Year, USA TODAY reported, and Flashscore also reported both coach results in its live coverage. The Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers went to Cata Coll of Barcelona and Spain, winning for the first time, and to Unai Simon, who helped Spain win the World Cup, USA TODAY reported, and Flashscore also reported both goalkeeper results. The two main Ballon d'Or winners had not been announced when this update was published.

Updated 20:41 UTC

The Ballon d'Or organisers have said the winner articles that appeared on the official website were published by mistake and reveal nothing about the result. In a statement posted on the official site before the ceremony, the organisers said: "Portraits of some Ballon d'Or nominees prepared by ballondor.com were inadvertently published online. These articles had been prepared in advance for all nominees in the event of a win. They do not, in any way, reveal the podium, which remains unknown to everyone at this time." Sports Illustrated and SPORTbible both reported the statement. SPORTbible reported that five articles appeared in total, the three men's favourites plus articles naming Alexia Putellas and Ewa Pajor as winners of the women's award, and Flashscore reported that the organisers stressed that an article had been written for every one of the 30 nominees.

The ceremony itself was then delayed by 30 minutes. It had been due to start at 8 p.m. London time at the London Palladium, and an announcement inside the theatre said it would begin at 8.30 p.m. instead, while players were still arriving on the red carpet. The Sun reported the delay and the announcement, TNT Sports said the delay was reportedly due to traffic in London, and theScore, citing The Athletic, also reported a 30 minute delay. The running order timings given below, including the men's winner at 9.46 p.m., are now subject to change. This update replaces the start time given in the opening section below.

Updated 18:44 UTC

The official Ballon d'Or website published pre-written winner articles naming three different players on Monday evening, hours before the ceremony in London, and all three were removed within minutes. Fans first spotted an article titled "Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or. Here are his best and most meaningful strikes from a 61-goal season", USA TODAY reported. Articles headlined "Lamine Yamal wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or and sets an unprecedented record" and "Kylian Mbappe wins 2026 Ballon d'Or for consistency personified at the very highest level" then appeared as well. BBC Sport reported that Kane was prematurely announced as the winner, but that he was not the only one, and The Athletic reported that the profiles appeared on the official site on Monday evening before being removed. Because the three articles named three different winners, they do not reveal who has actually won, and the organisers have not confirmed any winner. talkSPORT said it understands Mbappe will be named the winner, which remains unconfirmed reporting ahead of the ceremony. The Sun reported that the organisers have launched an investigation into how the articles were published. The Yamal article said that, at 19, he would have become the youngest winner in the history of the award, passing the record of Ronaldo Nazario, who won at 21 years and 92 days. This update replaces the earlier statement in this article that no confirmed leak had revealed the winners. The men's winner is still due to be announced on stage tonight at 9.46 p.m. London time.

The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner is named tonight in London, and for the first time in the award's 70 editions the ceremony has left Paris. The gala takes place at the London Palladium, with the red carpet from 6 p.m. and the ceremony starting at 8 p.m. London time, which is 4 p.m. Eastern. Organisers said the move to London is a tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the first Ballon d'Or in 1956.

What time is the Ballon d'Or tonight

DAZN published the running order for the night. The Kopa Trophy for the best young players is due at 8.05 p.m., the Coach of the Year awards at 8.23 p.m., the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers at 8.43 p.m. and the Gerd Muller Award at 8.52 p.m. Club of the Year follows at 8.59 p.m. and the Socrates Award at 9.15 p.m. The Ballon d'Or Feminin winner is announced at 9.36 p.m., and the men's Ballon d'Or winner is revealed at 9.46 p.m. London time, which is 5.46 p.m. Eastern. Kate Scott and Thierry Henry host the ceremony, and the winner's press conference is set for 10.30 p.m.

Who is favourite to win the Ballon d'Or

Harry Kane starts the day as the bookmakers' favourite at 4/7, according to OLBG, after scoring the most goals in Europe last season for Bayern Munich. Kane would be the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. Kylian Mbappe has been cut from 16/1 to 13/8 during the day, OLBG reported, after taking the golden boot in the Champions League, La Liga and the World Cup with Real Madrid and France. Lamine Yamal is priced at 4/1 after helping Barcelona win La Liga and then helping Spain win the World Cup this summer.

The holder, Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint Germain, is nominated again after leading his club to a second straight Champions League title. The 30 man shortlist was revealed on September 8 and also includes Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Lionel Messi. The award covers performances from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026, a window that includes the World Cup final.

A winner kept secret

The official Ballon d'Or site said no confirmed leak had revealed the winners before the ceremony, and that live coverage from London starts at 4 p.m. London time. Former Brazil striker Sonny Anderson tipped Mbappe to finish first, ahead of Yamal and Kane, but the organisers have kept the result under strict secrecy, and the winner is only confirmed on stage tonight.