When is Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony? Date, contenders, odds and how to watch for free

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The Ballon d’Or ceremony is almost here with a men’s and women’s winner set to be announced in London on Monday 26 October.

England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is the favourite, with Spain and Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal a close second as debate swirls around the biggest individual prize in the sport.

Kane is aiming to be the first English player to win the men’s award since Michael Owen in 2001, despite lacking a continental trophy, with the 33-year-old’s gluttony for goals and assists positioning him nicely to secure a career-high honour.

Rodri, the Ballon d’Or winner in 2024, won the golden ball at the World Cup after leading Spain to glory while France and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe broke the World Cup goalscoring record after hitting an incredible 10 goals across the tournament.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has since suffered a season-ending knee injury was absent from the World Cup but was arguably the standout player in the men’s Champions League last season after inspiring back-to-back titles for Paris Saint-Germain.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in London on Monday, 26 October, with the event getting underway from 8pm GMT.

You can watch the ceremony on the official website ballondor.com or DAZN, globally, with a free live stream available from both, while Independent Sport will bring you a live blog with updates, reaction and analysis.

Harry Kane 4/11

Lamine Yamal 9/4

Kylian Mbappe 16/1

Lionel Messi 20/1

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 66/1

Odds via Betfair