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Ballon d'Or ceremony held at London Palladium

The 2026 Ballon d'Or gala took place on Monday, October 26 at London's Palladium Theatre, with Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane among the leading contenders.

26 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Ballon d'Or ceremony held at London Palladium — Archive photoPhoto: Ank Kumar · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony took place on Monday, October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre in the English capital. The event brought together prominent figures from world football to honour the year's best player, along with other individual awards in the sport. According to reports, nominees included Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé, according to French magazine France Football and UEFA.

The competition for the main prize saw an open contest among several candidates. Harry Kane headed the list of favourites according to some analysts, though uncertainty marked the eve of the gala. Former footballer Michael Ballack offered his view on the race, arguing that Kane deserved the award for the number of goals he scored both for Bayern and England, noting that Messi and Ronaldo were not among the leading contenders.

Real Madrid sent a delegation of five people to represent the club at the ceremony. Kylian Mbappé led the Madrid contingent to London. International relations director Emilio Butragueño became the club's highest institutional representative, ending speculation about a possible attendance by president Florentino Pérez.

Colo Colo goalkeeper Vozinha travelled to London to participate in the gala as a nominee for the Lev Yashin Award, given to the world's best goalkeeper. However, according to reports, his chances of taking home the trophy faced stiff competition. Lamine Yamal attended the event accompanied by his partner Inés García and wore a loose-fitting black Chanel suit, drawing attention for his attire.

Beyond the best player category, the ceremony included recognition of other distinctions in football. Among the favourites in additional categories were Luis Enrique, Unai Simón, Cubarsí, Alexia Putellas and Barcelona's women's team. De la Fuente also appeared among candidates for special awards.

The gala brought together the main figures of professional football in an evening devoted to recognising the year's sporting achievements. The event was broadcast on various television channels, allowing followers in different regions to witness the awards ceremony from the London Palladium Theatre.

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