Live: the 70th Ballon d'Or in London (updated 23:00 GMT, 26 October 2026)
Football's most prestigious individual awards are being handed out tonight at the London Palladium, the first time in the award's 70-year history that the Ballon d'Or ceremony has been staged outside France. The move honours Sir Stanley Matthews, the English winger who became the inaugural winner in 1956. The gala is hosted by Thierry Henry and Kate Scott, and is co-organised by France Football and UEFA. This page is being updated through the evening as each award is confirmed; the most recent update was at 23:00 GMT, 26 October 2026.
The headline men's Ballon d'Or
The 2026 men's Ballon d'Or has been won by Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) - his first, and the first for an English man since Michael Owen in 2001. Kane finished ahead of Kylian Mbappe (2nd) and Lamine Yamal (3rd). The men's award recognises the best player of the 2025-26 season (the voting window ran from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026). The shortlist featured defending winner Ousmane Dembele, record eight-time winner Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and more. We are citing only the official announcement and will not repeat unconfirmed reports.
Women's Ballon d'Or: Alexia Putellas makes history again
Spain's Alexia Putellas has won the 2026 Ballon d'Or Feminin, her third overall and her first since back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022. The Barcelona great, who now also features for London City Lionesses, ends Aitana Bonmati's three-year hold on the prize. Her comeback caps a remarkable return after a serious knee injury earlier in her career.
Every award confirmed so far
Here is the running list of 2026 Ballon d'Or honours as they have been announced tonight: Men's Ballon d'Or - Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) is crowned the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or winner, his first, finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. He is the first English man to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001. Women's Ballon d'Or - Alexia Putellas (Barcelona / London City Lionesses, Spain) wins her third Ballon d'Or Feminin, and the first since 2022. Men's Coach of the Year - Luis de la Fuente (Spain) takes the Johan Cruyff Trophy after leading Spain to the World Cup. Women's Coach of the Year - Pere Romeu (Barcelona) is named the women's coach of the year. Men's Gerd Muller Trophy (top scorer) - Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) wins the top-scorer award, his second. Women's Gerd Muller Trophy (top scorer) - Charlyn Corral (Pachuca, Mexico) is honoured as the women's top scorer, a first for a Mexican player at the gala. Men's Yashin Trophy (goalkeeper) - Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao, Spain) is named the best men's goalkeeper. Women's Yashin Trophy (goalkeeper) - Cata Coll (Barcelona, Spain) wins the women's goalkeeper award. Men's Kopa Trophy (best U21) - Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain) wins the young-player award for a third time. Women's Kopa Trophy (best U21) - Vicky Lopez (Barcelona, Spain) retains the women's young-player award. Socrates Award (humanitarian) - Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, England) receives the Socrates Award for off-pitch work. Men's Club of the Year - Paris Saint-Germain are named men's club of the year for a second season running. Women's Club of the Year - Barcelona are named women's club of the year.
Why London, and why it matters
Staging the 70th edition in London is a deliberate tribute to the award's roots: Stanley Matthews, the first winner in 1956, was an English footballer, and the London Palladium sits at the heart of the city's entertainment district. For the organisers it is also a statement of the Ballon d'Or's global reach as the brand expands beyond Paris, where the gala had been held at the Theatre du Chatelet since 2019.
How to follow the rest of the night
The ceremony runs into the late evening UK time, with a winners' press conference scheduled afterwards. For the definitive results, the official source is ballondor.com, which updates its winners pages the same evening; UEFA and major outlets are also carrying live coverage. We will keep this page current and publish separate write-ups on the biggest winners, followed by a full recap once every trophy has been handed out.
The bottom line
The 2026 Ballon d'Or will be remembered as Harry Kane's night and a historic first outside France. Kane becomes the first English man to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001, while Alexia Putellas reclaimed the women's crown and Spain and Barcelona dominated the supporting awards. See our separate profiles of the main winners and the full recap for every trophy handed out in London.
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Sources
- Ballon d'Or official winners (ballondor.com)
- 2026 Ballon d'Or - Wikipedia (live)
- 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony: when, where and nominees (UEFA)
- Ballon d'Or 2026 live updates: Harry Kane, Alexia Putellas headline winners (NBC Sports)
Published date reflects the original event date (2026-10-26). This article is original Skillo editorial written from the sources above; facts were verified in September 2026.
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