Overview
- France Football confirmed the gala will be held on Monday, 26 October 2026 at The London Palladium, marking the first edition staged outside France since the prize began in 1956.
- The voting window covers performances from July 2025 through 19 July 2026, which means the World Cup final is included in the assessment and will directly shape voters' choices.
- A jury of 100 journalists drawn from top-ranked FIFA countries will decide the winners, a composition France Football says is intended to reflect broad international opinion.
- Major outlets have projected a crowded shortlist that highlights Rodri and Lamine Yamal after Spain’s World Cup win, with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Lionel Messi also widely discussed as contenders.
- France Football has not yet published the official 30 nominees, which media expect in August, and that release will crystallize how voters balance club titles, individual stats and World Cup impact when choosing the winner.