France Football on Tuesday released the short lists for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, naming candidates for the men’s and women’s trophies that recognize the world’s top players. The awards are decided on the basis of individual performances, decisive and impressive character; team performances and achievements; and class and fair play. Any player in world football is eligible, and the short lists are chosen by a jury of 100 journalists from around the globe.
The 2026 ceremony will be held Oct. 26 at The London Palladium, a departure from recent years in Paris. Organizers said the move marks the gala’s 70th anniversary; the first Ballon d’Or was awarded in Blackpool to 41-year-old Stanley Matthews, whom organizers called a true ambassador of football. They added that it is fitting to celebrate the game’s present-day stars in the country where the sport was first conceived.
The men’s 30-player shortlist features a mix of established stars and emerging talents. England midfielder Jude Bellingham, now 23, was a central figure for Real Madrid and for England at the 2026 World Cup, scoring seven goals in the tournament and producing a two-goal display against Mexico in the round of 16 that helped England secure a bronze medal.
Barcelona center back Pau Cubarsí received a debut nomination after playing a key role in Barcelona’s 2025-26 title and being named Best Young Player at the World Cup. The 19-year-old played every minute of Spain’s World Cup-winning run and helped keep seven clean sheets, and he is also on the shortlist for the Kopa Trophy for players 21 and under.
Spain’s Marc Cucurella appears on the list after a strong 2025-26 season with Chelsea and a transfer to Real Madrid during the World Cup; he played every minute for Spain at the tournament and supplied two assists en route to becoming a world champion. Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembélé, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, helped PSG to consecutive Champions League titles and contributed six goals and two assists for France at the World Cup.
Also included are Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz, who scored 15 of his club’s 122 Bundesliga goals in 34 matches and added a goal and an assist for Colombia in their round-of-16 exit on penalties to Switzerland, and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, who registered nine goals and a league-record 21 assists in 2025-26.
