The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, 2026, marking the award’s first-ever move from Paris to celebrate its 70th anniversary since 1956.

Current holder Ousmane Dembélé is among the leading contenders, alongside Declan Rice, Michael Olise, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

France Football and UEFA are co-organizers of the event, with London hosting for the first time in the award’s history.

The ceremony is part of a broader effort to internationalize the Ballon d’Or and strengthen its prestige as a global brand.

The report includes broader sports content and video highlights from News18 and references to other football stories and schedules.

Among the women’s contenders, Aitana Bonmatí remains the favorite after captaining Barcelona to a quadruple, including the Champions League title, despite an injury-plagued season.

Bonmatí has won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the past three years and contributed to Barcelona’s trophy haul as they clinched European honors post-injury return.

Ballon d’Or voting is conducted by a global panel of sports journalists who select 10 players from a 30-player shortlist compiled by France Football, L’Équipe and UEFA.

Winners are determined by an international jury selecting both male and female players from the shortlisted candidates.

Details on media accreditation and nominees will be announced later, with official information available at ballondor.com.

Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or awards, while last year’s men’s winner was Ousmane Dembélé and the women’s winner was Aitana Bonmatí.

The organizers emphasize the Ballon d’Or’s role as a symbol of global football excellence and its growth into international markets.