Ballon d'Or 2026 nominees list: Shortlist of players announced as PSG dominates soccer award nominations image
The Ballon d'Or is considered the most prestigious individual award in soccer, and the 2026 gala is fast approaching.
On Tuesday (September 8), France Football revealed its 30-man shortlist for the award. Last year's men's winner Ousmane Dembele is in contention once again, but a new winner is expected to be crowned.
LIVE: Ballon d'Or 2026 updates as winners and final awards results are announced
Spain predictably led the way in terms of national teams with six nominations, including 2024 winner and World Cup Golden Ball recipient Rodri. After leaving Manchester City, the midfielder is now a teammate of Lamine Yamal, who is in the mix once more after finishing as runner-up to Dembele last season.
Lionel Messi is included on the list thanks to another World Cup full of heroics, but defeat in the final probably ended any chance of lifting a record-extending ninth trophy.
The Sporting News brings you a look at who has been nominated for this year's award, along with the 30 players in contention for the Ballon d'Or Feminin.
MORE: Who should win the 2026 Ballon d'Or? Check out the power rankings
Ballon d'Or 2026 nominees list
The nominees up for the 2026 Ballon d'Or and associated awards were announced by France Football on Tuesday, September 8.
For the top men's prize, a 30-player shortlist was revealed, from which the winner will eventually be selected.
Below are the nominees for each award, as revealed by organisers.
The teams represented by players and coaches are noted as club team / national team. Where two club teams are separated by /, it denotes that a player or coach changed clubs in the past year.
MORE: All the other awards at the Ballon d'Or ceremony and the winners are chosen
Ballon d'Or nominees list
The men's Ballon d'Or nominees for 2026 are as follows:
Player Team(s) Career nominations
Jude Bellingham Real Madrid / England 4
Pau Cubarsi Barcelona / Spain 1
Marc Cucurella Chelsea/Real Madrid / Spain 1
Ousmane Dembele Paris Saint-Germain / France 2
Luis Diaz Bayern Munich / Colombia 2
Bruno Fernandes Manchester United / Portugal 2
Erling Haaland Manchester City / Norway 6
Gabriel Arsenal / Brazil 1
Harry Kane Bayern Munich / England 8
Achraf Hakimi Paris Saint-Germain / Morocco 2
Lamine Yamal Barcelona / Spain 3
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Paris Saint-Germain / Georgia 3
Marquinhos Paris Saint-Germain / Brazil 2
Sadio Mane Al Nassr / Senegal 5
Lisandro Martinez Inter Milan / Argentina 5
Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid / France 9
Nuno Mendes Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal 2
Lionel Messi Inter Miami / Argentina 17
Michael Olise Bayern Munich / France 2
Joao Neves Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal 2
William Pacho Paris Saint-Germain / Ecuador 1
Julian Quinones Al-Qadsiah / Mexico 1
Declan Rice Arsenal / England 3
Rodri Man City/Barcelona / Spain 3
Fabian Ruiz Paris Saint-Germain / Spain 2
Ferran Torres Barcelona/PSG / Spain 1
William Saliba Arsenal / France 2
Dayot Upamecano Bayern Munich / France 1
Vinicius Junior Real Madrid / Brazil 5
Vitinha Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal 3
Ballon d'Or Feminin
The women's Ballon d'Or nominees for 2026 are as follows:
Player Team(s) Career nominations
Selma Bacha OL Lyonnes / France 2
Barbra Banda Orlando Pride / Zambia 3
Klara Buhl Bayern Munich / Germany 2
Esmee Brugts Barcelona / Netherlands 1
Mariona Caldentey Arsenal / Spain 3
Scarlett Camberos Club America / Mexico 1
Kerstin Casparij Manchester City / Netherlands 1
Temwa Chawinga Kansas City Current / Malawi 2
Cata Coll Barcelona / Spain 1
Melchie Dumornay OL Lyonnes / Haiti 2
Caroline Graham Hansen Barcelona / Norway 3
Alex Greenwood Manchester City / England 1
Patri Guijarro Barcelona / Spain 4
Pernille Harder Bayern Munich / Denmark 5
Yui Hasegawa Manchester City / Japan 3
Rose Lavelle Gotham City / USWNT 2
Mapi Leon Barcelona/London City Lionesses / Spain 2
Lorena Kanas City Current / Brazil 1
Melvine Malard Manchester United/Chelsea / France 1
Manaka Matsukubo North Carolina Courage/Chelsea / Japan 1
Ewa Pajor Barcelona / Poland 4
Vivianne Miedema Manchester City / Netherlands 4
Claudia Pina Barcelona / Spain 2
Alexia Putellas Barcelona/London City Lionesses 5
Alessia Russo Arsenal / England 2
Momoko Tanikawa Bayern Munich / Japan 1
Wendie Renard OL Lyonnes / France 6
Khadija Shaw Manchester City / Jamaica 3
Caroline Weir Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes / Scotland 2
Tessa Wullaert Inter Milan/Como / Belgium 1
Men's Young Talent Of The Year
Here are the nominees for the best young male player across the globe over the past season:
Kerim Alajbegovic (Salzburg/Juventus / Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille/Manchester City / Morocco)
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona / Spain)
Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig/Real Madrid / Ivory Coast)
Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich / Germany)
Eli Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Johan Manzambi (Freiburg/Aston Villa / Switzerland)
Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen / Algeria)
Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Nominated for the 2026 Men's Young Talent of the Year ⬇️
🇧🇦 Kerim Alajbegović
🇲🇦 Ayyoub Bouaddi
🇪🇸 Pau Cubarsí
🇨🇮 Yan Diomandé
🇩🇪 Lennart Karl
🇫🇷 Éli Junior Kroupi
🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal
🇨🇭 Johan Manzambi
🇩🇿 Ibrahim Maza
🇫🇷 Warren Zaïre-Emery #ballondor pic.twitter.com/HXGinSnxPN
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Women's Young Talent Of The Year
The nominees for the best young female player in the world are as follows:
Veerle Buurman (Chelsea / Netherlands)
Vicky Lopez (Barcelona Femeni / Spain)
Felicia Schroder (BK Hacken/Real Madrid / Sweden)
Clara Serrajordi (Barcelona Femeni / Spain)
Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes / USWNT)
Women's Coach Of The Year
The five nominees for the best coach of the year in the women's game are:
Jonatan Giraldez (OL Lyonnes)
Andree Jeglertz (Manchester City)
Nils Nielsen (Japan*)
Pere Romeu (Barcelona Femeni)
Elena Sadiku (Celtic/BK Hacken)
*Nielsen left the role when his contract expired in April 2026.
Nominated for the 2026 Women's Coach of the Year ⬇️
Jonatan Giráldez - OL Lyonnes
Andrée Jeglertz - Manchester City
Nils Nielsen - Japan national team
Pere Romeu - FC Barcelona
Elena Sadiku - Celtic/BK Häcken pic.twitter.com/RkviTlGEh7
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Men's Coach Of The Year
The five nominees for the best coach of the year in men's soccer are:
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Luis de la Fuente (Spain)
Unai Emery (Aston Villa)
Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Nominated for the 2026 Men's Coach of the Year ⬇️
Mikel Arteta - Arsenal
Luis de la Fuente - Spain national team
Unai Emery - Aston Villa
Vincent Kompany - Bayern Munich
Luis Enrique - Paris-SG pic.twitter.com/R6QOpW9j9l
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Women's Goalkeeper Of The Year
The prize for the best goalkeeper in the women's game will be won by one of these nominees:
Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC / Germany)
Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni / Spain)
Hannah Hampton (Chelsea / England)
Lorena (Kansas City Current / Brazil)
Ayaka Yamashita (Manchester City / Japan)
Nominated for the 2026 Women's Goalkeeper of the Year ⬇️
🇩🇪 Ann-Katrin Berger
🇪🇸 Cata Coll
🏴 Hannah Hampton
🇧🇷 Lorena
🇯🇵 Ayaka Yamashita#ballondor pic.twitter.com/awJOGaOoLG
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Men's Goalkeeper Of The Year
This year's Yashin Trophy will be won by one of these 10 nominees:
Yassine Bonou (Al Hilal / Morocco)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid / Belgium)
Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund / Switzerland)
Joan Garcia (Barcelona / Spain)
Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli / Senegal)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Chelsea / Senegal)
David Raya (Arsenal / Spain)
Vozinha (Colo Colo / Cape Verde)
Unai Simon (Athletic Club / Spain)
Matvey Safonov (Paris Saint-Germain / Russia)
Nominated for the 2026 Men's Goalkeeper of the Year ⬇️
🇲🇦 Yassine Bounou
🇧🇪 Thibaut Courtois
🇪🇸 Joan García
🇨🇭 Gregor Kobel
🇦🇷 Emiliano Martínez
🇸🇳 Édouard Mendy
🇪🇸 David Raya
🇷🇺 Matvey Safonov
🇪🇸 Unai Simón
🇨🇻 Vozinha#ballondor pic.twitter.com/WFvHYOqC5q
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Women's Club Of The Year
The nominees for Women's Club Of The Year were the first to be announced. They are:
Barcelona Femeni
Bayern Munich
Club America Femenil
Manchester City
OL Lyonnes
Here are the Women's Club of the Year nominees#ballondor pic.twitter.com/TcDh7FAwk3
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Men's Club Of The Year
This was the second group of nominees to be announced. The five clubs up for the award are:
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Bodo/Glimt
Flamengo
Paris Saint-Germain
When is the 2026 Ballon d'Or award ceremony?
The 2026 Ballon d'Or will be awarded at a ceremony on Monday, October 26.
While the ceremony is usually held in Paris, France, the gala for the 70th edition of the men's trophy will be held this time in London, England. This is to honor inaugural winner, Sir Stanley Matthews, who was presented with the first trophy 70 years ago.
MORE: How the Ballon d'Or vote works and who gets to decide the winner
How is the Ballon d'Or winner decided?
A panel of international journalists compiled by France Football comes up with the 30 finalists for the men's Ballon d'Or and the Yashin Award shortlist for the world's best goalkeeper.
The voting process for the final award was revised in 2022 to involve a media member from each of the top 100 nations in the FIFA men's world ranking (for the men's Ballon d'Or voting) and from the top 50 nations in the FIFA women's world ranking (for the women's Ballon d'Or vote).
The media members vote by selecting names from the list of finalists, and they rank their selections. Each vote is weighted with different point totals assigned based on the specific ranking of the player on the ballot. After all the votes are tallied, the player with the most points is awarded the Ballon d'Or.
While the award was initially limited to recognizing the best European player on the continent, in 1995 organizers opened it up to non-Europeans plying their trade in Europe to also be considered. In 2007, the award was expanded further so any player across the world could be eligible whether or not they played in Europe.
Alongside the change in timeline, voter base and player eligibility, the voting criteria was also updated in 2022 to eliminate consideration for overall career performance, which potentially skewed the 2021 vote in favor of Messi, and instead focus on three main factors:
Individual performance in previous season (no longer by calendar year);
Team success during the previous season;
Player behavior and fair play during the season in consideration.