Tonight, the world’s best player for the year will be revealed. The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to take place this Monday at 19:00 GMT. This year, the event is moving out of France. The organizers have provided their reasoning.
Who will take over from Ousmane Dembélé as the next Ballon d'Or winner? All attention is focused on the London Palladium in England. It is here that the winner will be announced among Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane, the top three contenders. The Englishman could lift the trophy in his home country. However, France Football, the event's organizer, clarifies that this choice is unrelated to the potential recognition of the Bayern Munich striker. According to France Football, relocating to London is a tribute to Stanley Matthews, the first Ballon d'Or winner, who celebrates his 70th anniversary. At the time, the Blackpool player won this award that honored the best European player.
Besides this motivation, France Football emphasizes that "the international stature of this prestigious award suggests that the experience could be replicated outside of France."
