2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony opens in London with winners still unknown

The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony began Monday at London's Palladium theatre, with the winners for men's and women's awards still unknown. The event started 45 minutes late, marking the 70th edition of the prize hosted by France Football. Organizers dismissed leaked portraits on their website as pre-prepared articles for all nominees, not revealing winners. Spanish star Lamine Yamal arrived last with Barcelona, while Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé signed autographs. No clear favorite emerged to replace Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmati, with Kane's 61 goals for Bayern Munich and 73 total standing out. Alexia Putellas seeks a third women's title, facing competition from Ewa Pajor and Claudia Pina. The top-10 women's list includes Melchie Dumornay, Khadija Shaw, and others. Voting involved journalists from top FIFA-ranked countries, weighing individual performance, team results, and player conduct.