Why the Ballon d'Or Is Moving to London for the First Time in 70 Years

London is about to experience something that has never happened in 70 years of Ballon d'Or history: the ceremony will leave the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, its home since 2019, and set up shop in the English capital. The date is already locked in, October 26, and behind the change of venue lies a very specific tribute worth telling.

It all traces back to Sir Stanley Matthews, the English footballer who in 1956 became the first-ever winner of the award founded by France Football. Matthews, remembered for his time at Blackpool and Stoke City, was for decades a byword for talent and fair play, and now the award itself is returning to its roots to honor him. The Ballon d'Or, jointly organized by France Football and UEFA since 2024, also arrives at a particular moment: the 2026 World Cup is starting to loom on the horizon, and a new generation of players is fighting to make a name for itself.

The question nobody can answer yet is who will succeed Aitana Bonmatí and Ousmane Dembélé, the winners of the 2025 edition. On the men's side, two names have already staked their claim before the verdict is even known: Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.

Yamal Holds Nothing Back

The Barcelona forward wasn't shy when it came to discussing the topic. In an interview with Movistar set to air in the coming days, Yamal put Mbappé on the table as the other top candidate, but made his own position clear.

"Honestly, I think maybe we're the two best in the world. And I think this year I deserve it for what I've won. For me, Mbappé and I are the best in the world. I'm sure of it. Anyone who watches the games knows it"Lamine Yamal

At just 19 years old, Yamal went further and measured himself against the greats of the game's history. He brought up Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Maradona and Pelé, and left behind a thought that says a lot about how fast his success has arrived.

"There have been great stars in football like Leo, Cristiano or Diego, who I never got to see play. But I don't think anyone had ever won so much, so soon. There's Pelé's case, he won a lot, but not recently"Lamine Yamal

And just in case anyone thought he might rest on his laurels, he closed with a line that sums up his ambition well: "People think that because I've won, I'm going to relax, but I know I have a thousand things left to do to leave my mark on the history of football."

Mbappé Wants One Too

On the other side is Mbappé, who still doesn't have a Ballon d'Or in his trophy case and makes no secret of the fact that he sees this as his year. Speaking with L'Equipe, he didn't mince words:

"I have the idea that I can win it this year. It's one of my goals, and a short-term one at that; there isn't long to wait. (...) But when you look at the arguments and the competition, it wouldn't be unfair. Nobody had a better season than me last year"Kylian Mbappé

The Real Madrid forward went a bit further and laid out what kind of award he thinks the Ballon d'Or should be: "I've always believed the Ballon d'Or should reward a different kind of player (...) my idea of the Ballon d'Or comes from the era of Messi and Ronaldo. They never give it to normal players, only to different ones. And I think this year I did different things."

A Long List of Candidates

Yamal and Mbappé aren't alone in the race. The men's Ballon d'Or nominee list includes, among others, Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Vinicius Junior, Lionel Messi, Rodri and Vitinha. On the women's side, names like Alexia Putellas, Mariona Caldentey, Ewa Pajor and Alessia Russo appear among the 29 nominees.

The voting system remains the same as always: a jury of journalists from each country ranked in the top 100 of the FIFA rankings (top 50 for the women's award) picks ten players from a shortlist of 30 candidates, and those ten receive points on a sliding scale, from 15 down to 1. Whoever collects the most points wins, with three factors under consideration: individual performances, collective achievements and each player's class and fair play.

Beyond the main trophy, the night of October 26 in London will also hand out the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player (where Lamine Yamal is nominated once again), the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper, the Coach of the Year awards for both men and women, and the Club of the Year honors in both categories, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich, PSG, Barcelona and Manchester City among those in the running.