The Ballon d’Or 2026 nominees are out, with leading players, emerging talents, goalkeepers, coaches and clubs making the shortlists. Stars from the world’s biggest leagues join several notable international performers in the race for the awards.
Alexia Putellas, Caroline Graham Hansen and Ewa Pajor lead the women’s shortlist. The young talent and goalkeeper categories also feature several rising stars competing for individual honours.
The Ballon d’Or 2026 awards will also recognise outstanding coaches and clubs from the men’s and women’s game. Here is the complete list of nominees across all nine categories, based on the official Ballon d’Or announcement.
Men’s Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees
The men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist features 30 players from leading clubs across Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East.
The list includes established stars, midfield leaders and prolific forwards competing for football’s top individual honour.
Ballon d’Or 2026 Men’s Nominees: 1–10
| No | Nominee | Country | Club | Key Stats | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jude Bellingham | England | Real Madrid | 52 matches, 15 goals, 6 assists | — |
| 2 | Pau Cubarsí | Spain | FC Barcelona | 62 matches, 1 goal, 2 assists | World Cup, Liga, Spanish Super Cup |
| 3 | Marc Cucurella | Spain | Chelsea / Real Madrid | 65 matches, 2 goals, 7 assists | World Cup |
| 4 | Ousmane Dembélé | France | Paris-SG | 51 matches, 26 goals, 14 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 5 | Luis Díaz | Colombia | Bayern Munich | 66 matches, 30 goals, 23 assists | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 6 | Bruno Fernandes | Portugal | Manchester United | 51 matches, 13 goals, 25 assists | — |
| 7 | Gabriel | Brazil | Arsenal | 59 matches, 4 goals, 6 assists | Premier League |
| 8 | Erling Haaland | Norway | Manchester City | 64 matches, 58 goals, 11 assists | FA Cup, EFL Cup |
| 9 | Achraf Hakimi | Morocco | Paris-SG | 49 matches, 4 goals, 17 assists | AFCON*, Champions League, European Super Cup, Ligue 1 |
| 10 | Harry Kane | England | Bayern Munich | 65 matches, 73 goals, 8 assists | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
Nominees 11–20 for the Men’s Ballon d’Or
| No | Nominee | Country | Club | Key Stats | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Georgia | Paris-SG | 57 matches, 24 goals, 10 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 12 | Lamine Yamal | Spain | FC Barcelona | 57 matches, 25 goals, 20 assists | World Cup, Liga, Spanish Super Cup |
| 13 | Sadio Mané | Senegal | Al-Nassr | 55 matches, 24 goals, 13 assists | Saudi Pro League |
| 14 | Marquinhos | Brazil | Paris-SG | 43 matches, 2 goals, 0 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 15 | Lautaro Martínez | Argentina | Inter Milan | 55 matches, 30 goals, 10 assists | Serie A, Italian Cup |
| 16 | Kylian Mbappé | France | Real Madrid | 60 matches, 58 goals, 13 assists | — |
| 17 | Nuno Mendes | Portugal | Paris-SG | 53 matches, 7 goals, 8 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 18 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Inter Miami | 49 matches, 45 goals, 30 assists | MLS |
| 19 | João Neves | Portugal | Paris-SG | 49 matches, 11 goals, 4 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 20 | Michael Olise | France | Bayern Munich | 69 matches, 27 goals, 35 assists | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
Final 10 Men’s Ballon d’Or Nominees
| No | Nominee | Country | Club | Key Stats | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Willian Pacho | Ecuador | Paris-SG | 56 matches, 2 goals, 1 assist | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 22 | Julián Quiñones | Mexico | Al-Qadsiah | 46 matches, 41 goals, 5 assists | — |
| 23 | Declan Rice | England | Arsenal | 69 matches, 8 goals, 14 assists | Premier League |
| 24 | Rodri | Spain | Manchester City / FC Barcelona | 46 matches, 2 goals, 0 assists | World Cup, FA Cup, EFL Cup |
| 25 | Fabián Ruiz | Spain | Paris-SG | 45 matches, 3 goals, 6 assists | World Cup, Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
| 26 | William Saliba | France | Arsenal | 60 matches, 1 goal, 1 assist | Premier League |
| 27 | Ferran Torres | Spain | FC Barcelona / Paris-SG | 65 matches, 25 goals, 7 assists | World Cup, Liga, Spanish Super Cup |
| 28 | Dayot Upamecano | France | Bayern Munich | 58 matches, 2 goals, 4 assists | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 29 | Vinícius Jr. | Brazil | Real Madrid | 66 matches, 28 goals, 16 assists | — |
| 30 | Vitinha | Portugal | Paris-SG | 64 matches, 7 goals, 10 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees
The women’s Ballon d’Or shortlist features 30 players from leading clubs and national teams. The nominees include established stars, prolific forwards and standout performers from the 2025–26 season.
Here is the complete list with their 2025–26 statistics and trophies:
Women’s Ballon d’Or Nominees: 1–10
| No. | Nominee | Country | Club | Performance | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selma Bacha | France | OL Lyonnes | 32 matches, 1 goal, 13 assists, 3 yellow cards, 0 red card | French Championship, French Cup, French League Cup |
| 2 | Barbra Banda | Zambia | Orlando Pride | 21 matches, 14 goals, 1 assist, 3 yellow cards, 0 red card | None |
| 3 | Klara Bühl | Germany | Bayern Munich | 37 matches, 10 goals, 23 assists, 0 yellow card, 0 red card | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 4 | Esmee Brugts | Netherlands | FC Barcelona | 48 matches, 13 goals, 11 assists, 5 yellow cards, 0 red card | Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 5 | Mariona Caldentey | Spain | Arsenal | 49 matches, 7 goals, 10 assists, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | Nations League, Champions Cup |
| 6 | Scarlett Camberos | Mexico | Club América | 47 matches, 27 goals, 7 assists, 8 yellow cards, 2 red cards | CONCACAF Champions Cup, Mexican Closing Championship |
| 7 | Kerstin Casparij | Netherlands | Manchester City | 34 matches, 3 goals, 9 assists, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | WSL, FA Cup |
| 8 | Temwa Chawinga | Malawi | Kansas City Current | 22 matches, 15 goals, 3 assists, 0 yellow card, 0 red card | NWSL Shield |
| 9 | Cata Coll | Spain | FC Barcelona | 39 matches, 18 goals conceded, 23 clean sheets, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | Nations League, Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 10 | Melchie Dumornay | Haiti | OL Lyonnes | 36 matches, 21 goals, 12 assists, 4 yellow cards, 0 red card | French Championship, French Cup, French League Cup |
Nominees 11–20 for the Women’s Ballon d’Or
| No. | Nominee | Country | Club | Performance | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Caroline Graham Hansen | Norway | FC Barcelona | 45 matches, 17 goals, 16 assists, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 12 | Alex Greenwood | England | Manchester City | 33 matches, 1 goal, 7 assists, 5 yellow cards, 0 red card | WSL, FA Cup |
| 13 | Patri Guijarro | Spain | FC Barcelona | 34 matches, 4 goals, 11 assists, 1 yellow card, 0 red card | Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 14 | Pernille Harder | Denmark | Bayern Munich | 47 matches, 35 goals, 12 assists, 0 yellow card, 0 red card | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 15 | Yui Hasegawa | Japan | Manchester City | 43 matches, 6 goals, 7 assists, 1 yellow card, 0 red card | Asian Cup, WSL, FA Cup |
| 16 | Rose Lavelle | USA | Gotham FC | 40 matches, 14 goals, 5 assists, 3 yellow cards, 0 red card | NWSL, US Super Cup |
| 17 | Mapi León | Spain | FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses | 41 matches, 2 goals, 9 assists, 3 yellow cards, 0 red card | Nations League, Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 18 | Lorena | Brazil | Kansas City Current | 29 matches, 27 goals conceded, 12 clean sheets, 1 yellow card, 0 red card | NWSL Shield |
| 19 | Melvine Malard | France | Manchester United/Chelsea | 49 matches, 15 goals, 11 assists, 5 yellow cards, 0 red card | None |
| 20 | Manaka Matsukubo | Japan | North Carolina Courage/Chelsea | 33 matches, 13 goals, 5 assists, 1 yellow card, 0 red card | Asian Cup |
Final 10 Women’s Ballon d’Or Nominees
| No. | Nominee | Country | Club | Performance | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Vivianne Miedema | Netherlands | Manchester City | 30 matches, 18 goals, 5 assists, 0 yellow card, 0 red card | WSL, FA Cup |
| 22 | Ewa Pajor | Poland | FC Barcelona | 46 matches, 34 goals, 8 assists, 0 yellow card, 0 red card | Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 23 | Claudia Pina | Spain | FC Barcelona | 54 matches, 32 goals, 9 assists, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | Nations League, Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 24 | Alexia Putellas | Spain | FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses | 53 matches, 26 goals, 15 assists, 4 yellow cards, 0 red card | Nations League, Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 25 | Wendie Renard | France | OL Lyonnes | 28 matches, 10 goals, 0 assist, 3 yellow cards, 0 red card | French Championship, French Cup, French League Cup |
| 26 | Alessia Russo | England | Arsenal | 50 matches, 29 goals, 9 assists, 1 yellow card, 0 red card | Champions Cup |
| 27 | Khadija Shaw | Jamaica | Manchester City | 36 matches, 36 goals, 10 assists, 0 yellow card, 0 red card | WSL, FA Cup |
| 28 | Momoko Tanikawa | Japan | Bayern Munich | 49 matches, 17 goals, 7 assists, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | Asian Cup, Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 29 | Caroline Weir | Scotland | Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes | 50 matches, 32 goals, 13 assists, 2 yellow cards, 0 red card | None |
| 30 | Tessa Wullaert | Belgium | Inter Milan/Como | 38 matches, 29 goals, 15 assists, 3 yellow cards, 0 red card | None |
Ballon d’Or 2026 Men’s Young Talent of the Year Nominees
The Men’s Young Talent of the Year shortlist features 10 nominees. The list includes emerging players who impressed during the 2025–26 season.
Here is the complete list of nominees for the young talent of the year:
| No | Nominee | Country | Club | Age & Position | Key Stats | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerim Alajbegović | Bosnia and Herzegovina | RB Salzburg / Juventus | 18, Forward | 54 matches, 14 goals, 6 assists | — |
| 2 | Ayyoub Bouaddi | Morocco | Lille / Manchester City | 18, Defensive midfielder | 55 matches, 1 goal, 2 assists | — |
| 3 | Pau Cubarsí | Spain | FC Barcelona | 19, Centre-back | 62 matches, 1 goal, 2 assists | World Cup, Spanish League, Spanish Super Cup |
| 4 | Yan Diomandé | Ivory Coast | RB Leipzig / Real Madrid | 19, Forward | 50 matches, 16 goals, 10 assists | — |
| 5 | Lennart Karl | Germany | Bayern Munich | 18, Forward | 44 matches, 12 goals, 8 assists | German League, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 6 | Éli Junior Kroupi | France | Bournemouth | 20, Forward | 40 matches, 16 goals | — |
| 7 | Lamine Yamal | Spain | FC Barcelona | 19, Forward | 57 matches, 25 goals, 20 assists | World Cup, Spanish League, Spanish Super Cup |
| 8 | Johan Manzambi | Switzerland | Freiburg / Aston Villa | 20, Central/attacking midfielder | 61 matches, 12 goals, 8 assists | — |
| 9 | Ibrahim Maza | Algeria | Bayer Leverkusen | 20, Central/attacking midfielder | 61 matches, 7 goals, 7 assists | — |
| 10 | Warren Zaïre-Emery | France | Paris Saint-Germain | 20, Full-back/midfielder | 62 matches, 3 goals, 6 assists | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, French League, Trophée des Champions |
Ballon d’Or 2026 Women’s Young Talent of the Year Nominees
The Women’s Young Talent of the Year shortlist features five players aged 18 to 20. Here is the complete list of nominees.
| No | Nominee | Country | Club | Age & Position | Key Stats | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veerle Buurman | Netherlands | Chelsea | 20, Defender | 34 matches, 2 goals, 1 assist | English League Cup |
| 2 | Vicky López | Spain | FC Barcelona | 20, Forward | 53 matches, 17 goals, 15 assists | Nations League, Champions League, Spanish League, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup |
| 3 | Felicia Schröder | Sweden | Häcken / Real Madrid | 19, Forward | 49 matches, 36 goals, 8 assists | Europa Cup, Swedish League |
| 4 | Clara Serrajordi | Spain | FC Barcelona | 18, Midfielder | 48 matches, 2 goals, 7 assists | Nations League, Champions League, Spanish League, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup |
| 5 | Lily Yohannes | United States | OL Lyonnes | 19, Midfielder | 48 matches, 6 goals, 10 assists | French League, French Cup, League Cup, SheBelieves Cup |
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year Nominees
The Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year shortlist features 10 goalkeepers who impressed across domestic and international competitions.
Here is the complete list of nominees.
| No | Nominee | Country | Club | Key Stats | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yassine Bounou | Morocco | Al-Hilal | 58 matches, 41 goals conceded, 30 clean sheets | Saudi King’s Cup |
| 2 | Thibaut Courtois | Belgium | Real Madrid | 57 matches, 51 goals conceded, 23 clean sheets | — |
| 3 | Joan García | Spain | FC Barcelona | 47 matches, 43 goals conceded, 19 clean sheets | World Cup, Liga, Spanish Super Cup |
| 4 | Gregor Kobel | Switzerland | Borussia Dortmund | 61 matches, 70 goals conceded, 24 clean sheets | — |
| 5 | Emiliano Martínez | Argentina | Aston Villa / Chelsea | 58 matches, 59 goals conceded, 20 clean sheets | Europa League |
| 6 | Édouard Mendy | Senegal | Al-Ahli | 56 matches, 47 goals conceded, 28 clean sheets | Asian Champions League, Saudi Super Cup |
| 7 | David Raya | Spain | Arsenal | 53 matches, 32 goals conceded, 29 clean sheets | World Cup, Premier League |
| 8 | Matvey Safonov | Russia | Paris-SG | 31 matches, 32 goals conceded, 12 clean sheets | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1 |
| 9 | Unai Simón | Spain | Athletic Bilbao | 62 matches, 76 goals conceded, 22 clean sheets | World Cup |
| 10 | Vozinha | Cape Verde | GD Chaves / Colo-Colo | 30 matches, 35 goals conceded, 13 clean sheets | — |
Men’s Coach of the Year Nominees
The Men’s Coach of the Year shortlist features five coaches who delivered notable results with their clubs or national teams.
Here is the complete list of nominees.
| No | Coach | Country | Club / National Team | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikel Arteta | Spain | Arsenal | Premier League |
| 2 | Luis de la Fuente | Spain | Spain national team | World Cup |
| 3 | Unai Emery | Spain | Aston Villa | Europa League |
| 4 | Vincent Kompany | Belgium | Bayern Munich | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 5 | Luis Enrique | Spain | Paris-SG | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
Women’s Coach of the Year Nominees
The Women’s Coach of the Year shortlist features five coaches who guided their teams to major domestic and continental honours. Here is the complete list of nominees.
| No | Coach | Country | Club / National Team | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonatan Giráldez | Spain | OL Lyonnes | French Championship, French Cup, French League Cup |
| 2 | Andrée Jeglertz | Sweden | Manchester City | WSL, FA Cup |
| 3 | Nils Nielsen | Denmark | Japan national team / Currently unattached | Asian Cup |
| 4 | Pere Romeu | Spain | FC Barcelona | Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 5 | Elena Sadiku | Sweden | BK Häcken | Europa Cup, Swedish Championship |
Men’s Club of the Year Nominees
The Men’s Club of the Year shortlist features five clubs that achieved major success during the 2025–26 season. Here is the complete list of nominees.
| No | Club | Country | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | England | Premier League |
| 2 | Bayern Munich | Germany | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 3 | Bodø/Glimt | Norway | Norwegian Cup |
| 4 | Flamengo | Brazil | Copa Libertadores, Brazilian Championship, Rio de Janeiro State Championship |
| 5 | Paris-SG | France | Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup |
Ballon d’Or 2026 Women’s Club of the Year Nominees
The Women’s Club of the Year shortlist features five clubs that achieved major domestic and continental success during the 2025–26 season. Here is the complete list of nominees.
| No | Club | Country | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Barcelona | Spain | Champions League, Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup |
| 2 | Bayern Munich | Germany | Bundesliga, German Cup, German Super Cup |
| 3 | Club América | Mexico | CONCACAF Champions Cup, Mexican Closing Championship |
| 4 | Manchester City | England | WSL, FA Cup |
| 5 | OL Lyonnes | France | French Championship, French Cup, French League Cup |
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Conclusion
The Ballon d’Or 2026 race looks especially competitive, with several players having strong claims based on their numbers and trophies. Ousmane Dembélé, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Michael Olise stand out among the leading contenders.
Dembélé’s trophy haul with Paris-SG gives him a particularly strong case, while Kane and Mbappé bring remarkable goal-scoring numbers. Lamine Yamal and Olise also enter the race after standout seasons, making the final result difficult to predict.
The winners will ultimately depend on how voters weigh individual performances, team success and influence across the season.
