The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony took place in London, where organisers kept the winner's identity secret until the final moments with no leaks and no confirmed speculation. Voting had closed a month before the ceremony, and there was a 70-minute delay to the start.
Nominees and attendees
The list of 30 nominees included Ousmane Dembélé, Rodri, Marc Cucurella, Gabriel Magalhães, Yan Diomande, Michael Olise, Luis Díaz, Bukayo Saka, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane. Unai Simón, David Raya and Juan García attended the ceremony.
Awards on the night
Unai Simón was crowned on the night. Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for best young player. Barcelona collected awards in the women's category.
AS report on delegations
AS reported that the Barcelona and Real Madrid delegations stayed at the same hotel during their time in London.
