Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal at the ceremony in London on 26 October. Rodri placed fourth, while eight-time winner Lionel Messi completed the top five.
The official Ballon d’Or 2026 rankings are now confirmed. Below are the complete results for all 30 nominees, the biggest surprises and our early favourites for the 2027 award.
Who Won the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane claimed his first Ballon d’Or after an exceptional 2025/26 season. He became the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001.
| Key fact | 2026 result |
|---|---|
| Ballon d’Or winner | Harry Kane |
| Runner-up | Kylian Mbappé |
| Third place | Lamine Yamal |
| Women’s winner | Alexia Putellas |
| Ceremony | 26 October 2026 |
| Venue | London Palladium, London |
| Men’s nominees | 30 |
The ceremony marked the award’s 70th anniversary and its first presentation in London.
Ballon d’Or 2026 Ranking: Official Top 10
The final Ballon d’Or 2026 Top 10 includes players from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
| Rank | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid |
| 3 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona |
| 4 | Rodri | Manchester City / Barcelona |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami |
| 6 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 7 | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 8 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
| 9 | Michael Olise | Bayern Munich |
| 10 | Fabián Ruiz | Paris Saint-Germain |
These are the official results, not a prediction or editorial power ranking.
Full Ballon d’Or 2026 Rankings: All 30 Players
Here is the complete Ballon d’Or 2026 ranking, including every nominated player and their final position.
| Rank | Player | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Kane | England |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappé | France |
| 3 | Lamine Yamal | Spain |
| 4 | Rodri | Spain |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 6 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Georgia |
| 7 | Ousmane Dembélé | France |
| 8 | Erling Haaland | Norway |
| 9 | Michael Olise | France |
| 10 | Fabián Ruiz | Spain |
| 11 | Jude Bellingham | England |
| 12 | Pau Cubarsí | Spain |
| 13 | Achraf Hakimi | Morocco |
| 14 | Vitinha | Portugal |
| 15 | Declan Rice | England |
| 16 | Ferran Torres | Spain |
| 17 | Vinícius Júnior | Brazil |
| 18 | Marc Cucurella | Spain |
| 19 | João Neves | Portugal |
| 20 | Willian Pacho | Ecuador |
| 21 | Gabriel Magalhães | Brazil |
| 22 | Lautaro Martínez | Argentina |
| 23 | Nuno Mendes | Portugal |
| 24 | Luis Díaz | Colombia |
| 25 | Marquinhos | Brazil |
| 26 | Dayot Upamecano | France |
| 27 | Bruno Fernandes | Portugal |
| 28 | Julián Quiñones | Mexico |
| 29= | Sadio Mané | Senegal |
| 29= | William Saliba | France |
Why is there no 30th place? Sadio Mané and William Saliba finished joint 29th, meaning the ranking includes 30 players but only 29 distinct positions.
Source: Official Ballon d’Or rankings.
Biggest Surprises in the 2026 Ballon d’Or Results
Kylian Mbappé finished second. The Real Madrid forward was the highest-ranked French player, ahead of Lamine Yamal and Rodri. He remains without a Ballon d’Or victory.
Lionel Messi returned to the top five. The Argentine finished fifth at 39, ahead of Erling Haaland and defending champion Ousmane Dembélé.
Paris Saint-Germain placed three players in the top ten. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished sixth, Dembélé seventh and Fabián Ruiz tenth.
Vinícius Júnior missed the top ten. The Real Madrid winger finished 17th, while Jude Bellingham placed 11th.
Cristiano Ronaldo was not among the 30 nominees.
Why Did Harry Kane Win the Ballon d’Or 2026?
Kane scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025/26 campaign, including 14 in the Champions League. Bayern Munich reached the European semi-finals and won a domestic treble.
The England captain also finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for the third consecutive season.
His combination of individual performances, goalscoring consistency and team trophies made him a compelling choice for the journalists voting on the award.
Kane succeeded Ousmane Dembélé, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2025.
Source: UEFA – Harry Kane wins the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Ballon d’Or 2027 Favourites: Early Rankings and Predictions
Who could succeed Harry Kane in 2027?
The 2026/27 season is still underway, and the official nominees have not been announced. The Champions League, domestic trophies and individual performances will play an important role in the next race.
Our Ballon d’Or 2027 power ranking is an early editorial prediction as of 30 October 2026, not an official result.
Our Top 5 Ballon d’Or 2027 Favourites
| Rank | Player | Club | Why they’re in contention |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | Runner-up in 2026 |
| 2 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Third in 2026; exceptional potential |
| 3 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | Defending winner |
| 4 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Proven elite goalscorer |
| 5 | Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | Creativity and attacking influence |
Can Mbappé Win His First Ballon d’Or in 2027?
Mbappé finished second in 2026 and remains one of the strongest candidates for his first award.
A decisive season with Real Madrid, particularly in the Champions League, could strengthen his chances considerably.
Is Lamine Yamal the Biggest Challenger?
Yamal finished third in 2026 and won the men’s young-player award for the third consecutive year.
His creativity, ability to influence major matches and potential for further development make him a serious contender.
Can Harry Kane Win Back-to-Back Ballon d’Or Awards?
Kane enters the 2027 race as the defending champion.
Another prolific season, combined with major trophies for Bayern Munich, could put him in contention for a second consecutive victory.
Haaland and Olise complete our early top five. Rodri, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior are also players to watch as the season develops.
When Is the Ballon d’Or 2027 Ceremony?
The official Ballon d’Or 2027 date and venue have not yet been announced.
The 2027 nominees and final rankings are also unavailable. Any rankings published before the vote are predictions rather than confirmed results.
Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026 and Other Award Winners
Alexia Putellas won the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Ewa Pajor and Khadija Shaw. It was her third victory after 2021 and 2022.
Other major winners included:
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Men’s Ballon d’Or | Harry Kane |
| Women’s Ballon d’Or | Alexia Putellas |
| Men’s Young Talent | Lamine Yamal |
| Women’s Young Talent | Vicky López |
| Men’s Goalkeeper | Unai Simón |
| Women’s Goalkeeper | Cata Coll |
| Men’s Coach | Luis de la Fuente |
| Women’s Coach | Pere Romeu |
| Men’s Club | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Women’s Club | Barcelona |
For the women’s full ranking, see our Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026 guide.
How Does Ballon d’Or Voting Work?
The men’s Ballon d’Or is decided by an international jury of journalists representing 100 countries.
Each journalist ranks ten players from the 30 nominees. The voting considers three main criteria, in order of importance:
- Individual performances and decisive contributions.
- Team achievements and trophies won.
- Class and fair play.
Points are awarded to each selected player, and the highest total determines the winner. Fans do not directly choose the Ballon d’Or recipient.
FAQ: Ballon d’Or 2026 Rankings and 2027 Predictions
Who won the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Harry Kane won the men’s 2026 Ballon d’Or, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
What is the official Ballon d’Or 2026 ranking?
The top five are Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Lionel Messi. The complete ranking includes 30 players.
Who finished second in the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Kylian Mbappé finished second, ahead of Lamine Yamal in third place.
Where did Messi and Ronaldo finish in 2026?
Lionel Messi finished fifth. Cristiano Ronaldo was not included among the 30 nominees.
Why did Harry Kane win the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Kane scored 73 goals for club and country and helped Bayern Munich win a domestic treble during the 2025/26 campaign.
Who won the Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026?
Alexia Putellas won the women’s award ahead of Ewa Pajor and Khadija Shaw.
Who are the favourites for the Ballon d’Or 2027?
Our early favourites are Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Michael Olise.
When is the Ballon d’Or 2027?
The official ceremony date has not yet been announced. The nominees and final ranking are also still unknown.
