The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London on Monday evening at the Palladium Theatre.

The ceremony, hosted by France Football, begins at 21:00 local time and will crown the world’s best male and female players for the 2025-26 season. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappé are the leading contenders for the men’s award, according to multiple outlets .

Kane’s case rests on a dominant season with Bayern Munich, where he won all domestic titles and scored 61 goals in 51 matches. Yamal points to his LaLiga EA Sports and World Cup triumphs with Barcelona and Spain, telling *Universo Valdano*, “I deserve the Ballon d’Or for what I’ve won” . Mbappé, despite no team trophies, cites his 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid and his status as the all-time World Cup top scorer, stating on RFI, “It would be a disappointment not to win” .

The award is decided by a jury of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations, voting on individual performances, collective achievements, and fair play over the season from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026. The gala will also present awards for best young player, coach, and women’s player, with Alexia Putellas favored in the latter category .

The ceremony marks the 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or and is held in London for the first time, honoring Stanley Matthews, the award’s first winner in 1956 . Thierry Henry and Kate Scott will co-host the event .