The wait for the 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees is over, with France Football unveiling the much-awaited shortlists for football's most prestigious individual awards on Tuesday.
The 2026 edition marks the 70th Ballon d'Or, with the awards ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26. The event will also mark the first time the ceremony is being held outside Paris since 2019, with the move to London serving as a tribute to the inaugural winner, Sir Stanley Matthews.
The men's and women's Ballon d'Or categories each feature 30 nominees. Alongside the two main awards, nominees have also been announced for the Young Talent, Goalkeeper, Coach and Club of the Year categories.
Ballon d'Or 2026: Men's Nominees
The list includes a mix of established Ballon d'Or contenders and players who enjoyed standout campaigns during the 2025-26 season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Last year's winner Ousmane Dembele has also made the shortlist as he looks to retain the award. The Paris Saint-Germain forward won the 2025 Ballon d'Or after helping the French club to a historic campaign.
Apart from the young and talented names, Argentine legend Lionel Messi also features on the list. Messi recently announced his retirement from international football and will continue to play for Inter Miami.
The complete 30-player shortlist is:
- Harry Kane
- Lamine Yamal
- Kylian Mbappé
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Rodri
- Erling Haaland
- Michael Olise
- Lionel Messi
- Vinicius Junior
- Mohamed Salah
- Florian Wirtz
- Vitinha
- Raphinha
- Declan Rice
- Jude Bellingham
- Pedri
- Cole Palmer
- Achraf Hakimi
- Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Nuno Mendes
- João Neves
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
- Désiré Doué
- Viktor Gyökeres
- Robert Lewandowski
- Lautaro Martínez
- Alexis Mac Allister
- Scott McTominay
- Denzel Dumfries
- Serhou Guirassy
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- Yassine Bounou — Morocco, Al-Hilal
- Thibaut Courtois — Belgium, Real Madrid
- Joan García — Spain, Barcelona
- Gregor Kobel — Switzerland, Borussia Dortmund
- Emiliano Martínez — Argentina, Aston Villa/Chelsea
- Édouard Mendy — Sénégal, Al-Ahli
- David Raya — Spain, Arsenal
- Matvey Safonov — Russia, Paris Saint-Germain
- Unai Simón — Spain, Athletic Bilbao
- Vozinha — Cabo Verde, GD Chaves/Colo-Colo
Men's Coach Of The Year — 2026 Nominees
- Mikel Arteta — Arsenal
- Luis de la Fuente — Spain
- Unai Emery — Aston Villa
- Vincent Kompany — Bayern Munich
- Luis Enrique — Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
Men's Young Talent Of The Year — 2026 Nominees
- Kerim Alajbegović — Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Ayyoub Bouaddi — Morocco
- Pau Cubarsí — Spain
- Yan Diomandé — Ivory Coast
- Lennart Karl — Germany
- Éli Junior Kroupi — France
- Lamine Yamal — Spain
- Johan Manzambi — Switzerland
- Ibrahim Maza — Algeria
- Warren Zaïre-Emery — France
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Men's Club Of The Year Nominees
- Arsenal — England
- Bayern Munich — Germany
- Bodø/Glimt — Norway
- Flamengo — Brazil
- PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) — France
Women's Ballon d'Or — 2026 Nominees
- Selma Bacha — France, OL Lyonnes
- Barbra Banda — Zambia, Orlando Pride
- Klara Bühl — Germany, Bayern Munich
- Esmee Brugts — Netherlands, FC Barcelona
- Mariona Caldentey — Spain, Arsenal
- Scarlett Camberos — México, Club América
- Kerstin Casparij — Netherlands, Manchester City
- Temwa Chawinga — Malawi, Kansas City Current
- Cata Coll — Spain, FC Barcelona
- Melchie Dumornay — Haiti, OL Lyonnes
- Caroline Graham Hansen — Norway, FC Barcelona
- Alex Greenwood — England, Manchester City
- Patri Guijarro — Spain, FC Barcelona
- Pernille Harder — Denmark, Bayern Munich
- Yui Hasegawa — Japan, Manchester City
- Rose Lavelle — USA, Gotham FC
- Mapi León — Spain, FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses
- Lorena — Brazil, Kansas City Current
- Melvine Malard — France, Manchester United/Chelsea
- Manaka Matsukubo — Japan, North Carolina Courage/Chelsea
- Vivianne Miedema — Netherlands, Manchester City
- Ewa Pajor — Poland, FC Barcelona
- Claudia Pina — Spain, FC Barcelona
- Alexia Putellas — Spain, FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses
- Wendie Renard — France, OL Lyonnes
- Alessia Russo — England, Arsenal
- Khadija Shaw — Jamaica, Manchester City
- Momoko Tanikawa — Japan, Bayern Munich
- Caroline Weir — Scotland, Real Madrid/ OL Lyonnes
- Tessa Wullaert — Belgium, Inter Milan/Como
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