The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held at London's Palladium Theatre on Monday, October 26, starting at 8:00 p.m. GMT, which is 1:30 a.m. IST on Tuesday, October 27 in India.
It is the first time the event will be staged in London rather than Paris.
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) says the move pays tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural winner in 1956. Thirteen awards will be given out, including the Kopa, Yashin, Gerd Muller and Johan Cruyff trophies.
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How To Watch In India
Dazn is set to stream the ceremony live and free in about 200 markets, and the official ballondor.com site is also expected to carry a stream.
Indian viewers should check Dazn India for availability. Sony Sports Ten 1 aired last year's ceremony.
Men's Contenders
Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Rodri and Erling Haaland are the main talking points.
Spain's World Cup win could lift its six nominees. Kane scored 73 goals for club and country, Mbappe won the tournament's Golden Boot with 10 goals, and Yamal, runner-up in 2025, helped Spain and Barcelona to major titles.
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The 30 candidates are Jude Bellingham, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Ousmane Dembele, Luis Diaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel, Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Yamal, Sadio Mane, Marquinhos, Lautaro Martinez, Mbappe, Nuno Mendes, Messi, Joao Neves, Michael Olise, Willian Pacho, Julian Quinones, Declan Rice, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, William Saliba, Ferran Torres, Dayot Upamecano, Vinicius Jr and Vitinha.
Women's Contenders
Alexia Putellas captained Barcelona to a continental quadruple. Manchester City's Khadija Shaw scored 21 league goals, while Ewa Pajor topped the Champions League scoring charts with 11.
Holder Aitana Bonmati has been sidelined with injury for most of the season.
The 30 nominees are Selma Bacha, Barbra Banda, Klara Buhl, Esmee Brugts, Mariona Caldentey, Scarlett Camberos, Kerstin Casparij, Temwa Chawinga, Cata Coll, Melchie Dumornay, Caroline Graham Hansen, Alex Greenwood, Patri Guijarro, Pernille Harder, Yui Hasegawa, Rose Lavelle, Mapi Leon, Lorena, Melvine Malard, Manaka Matsukubo, Vivianne Miedema, Pajor, Claudia Pina, Putellas, Wendie Renard, Alessia Russo, Shaw, Momoko Tanikawa, Caroline Weir and Tessa Wullaert.
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Past Winners
Dembele won the men's award in 2025 and Bonmati the women's. Messi holds the men's record with eight wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. A panel of 100 journalists ranks the shortlist.
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