Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony set for London Palladium with Ousmane Dembele as defending champion

The award gala starts at 8 pm BST, featuring a shortlist of 30 nominees and marking the first London venue in the trophy’s 70‑year history.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:10:27 GMT

The 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony will be held tonight, Monday 26 October, at the London Palladium in Soho, according to Standard.co.uk.

What happened

Players are expected to arrive from around 6 pm BST, with the ceremony slated to begin at approximately 8 pm BST. The event marks the first time the gala is staged in London; previous editions since 2019 have been hosted at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

What the reports add

Standard.co.uk notes that the move to London honours the award’s 70th anniversary and the legacy of Sir Stanley Matthews, the inaugural winner who received his trophy in Blackpool Town Hall in 1956. The outlet also lists the 30 shortlisted nominees, ranging from Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane to Lionel Messi and Aitana Bonmati.

Current men’s holder: PSG forward Ousmane Dembele, who won last year.
Women’s holder: Barcelona forward Aitana Bonmati, three‑time consecutive winner.
Bookmakers’ favourite for 2026: Harry Kane, after scoring 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich.
Hosts: journalist Kate Scott and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

What was said

The Ballon d’Or organisers say the London venue “fits the landmark year” and “brings the award back to where the Ballon d’Or all began.”

Standard.co.uk quotes the organisers’ website: “It is fitting in such a landmark year to celebrate the finest present‑day exponents of the beautiful game in the beating heart of the country that first conceived of it… this autumn football is coming home. Back to where the Ballon d’Or all began.”

How it came about

The venue change follows a Felo News piece published on 13 October that confirmed Argentine captain Lionel Messi would present the trophy at the London Palladium (Messi to present 2026 Ballon d’Or trophy). A day‑later Felo reported that the shift to London also serves as a tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, whose family – son Stanley Jr, sister Jean and her two daughters – will attend the ceremony (Ballon d’Or ceremony moves to London Palladium in tribute to Stanley Matthews).

Key facts

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held at the London Palladium on 26 October. (standard.co.uk)
Players are expected to arrive from around 6 pm BST and the ceremony will start at about 8 pm BST. (standard.co.uk)
Ousmane Dembele is the defending men’s Ballon d’Or holder. (standard.co.uk)
The venue change honours the award’s 70th anniversary and Sir Stanley Matthews. (standard.co.uk)

Timeline

1956-12-01 — Sir Stanley Matthews receives inaugural Ballon d’Or in Blackpool Town Hall.
2019-01-01 — Ballon d’Or ceremony moves to Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
2026-10-13 — Lionel Messi announced to present the trophy at London Palladium.