Ballon d’Or 2026 Winner and Complete List of Soccer Award Recipients

Who emerged victorious at the Ballon d’Or 2026? Complete overview of soccer award recipients originally appeared on The Sporting News. Designate The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The London Palladium was alive with festivity on Monday evening as the soccer community honored its finest talents from the 2025-26 season.

The prestigious awards gala from France Football found its way to the bustling English capital, honoring the legendary Blackpool and England forward Stanley Matthews, who triumphed over Real Madrid and Spain’s Alfredo Di Stefano to win the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1956.

Fast forward seventy years, and once again, an Englishman and a Spaniard face off for the title of the world’s premier men’s player. Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal are the top contenders for soccer’s most coveted award. Only one will be able to claim the trophy, made of two brass discs fused together using a blowtorch.

With that, let’s delve into the lineup of honorees acknowledged at the 2026 Ballon d’Or event.

LIVE: Real-time updates throughout the 2026 Ballon d’Or gala

Who was honored with the 2026 Ballon d’Or?

Bayern Munich and England’s Harry Kane earned the 2026 Ballon d’Or, having propelled Die Roten to their 13th Bundesliga title in 14 years and scoring six goals for the Three Lions during the World Cup. With this achievement, he became the first English player to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001.

London City midfielder Alexia Putellas was also celebrated alongside Kane, securing her third Ballon d’Or Feminin after netting 24 goals and providing 13 assists in her final season with Barcelona. Putellas steered the Catalan club to an extraordinary quadruple (Champions League, Liga F, Supercopa de Espana, and Copa de la Reina) in the 2025-26 season.

Who won the 2026 Kopa Trophy?

Lamine Yamal received a well-deserved consolation award, claiming his third consecutive Kopa Trophy as the world’s outstanding under-21 player.

Yamal recorded 24 goals and 18 assists for Barcelona during 2025-26, affirming his reputation as one of the globe’s elite talents at just 19. If he remains injury-free, he is likely to have more Kopa Trophies (and possibly a few Ballon d’Ors) in his career ahead.

Barcelona Femini’s standout Vicky Lopez further enriched the club’s accolades by winning her second Kopa Trophy. Up to now, she remains the sole player to receive this award, which was established in 2025.

Complete list of award winners at 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony

When will the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony occur?

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium.

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