Dembélé Headlines Ballon d'Or Shortlist for London Ceremony

Thirty names, one list, and a question already making the rounds at soccer bars everywhere: does Ousmane Dembélé repeat, or is there a surprise waiting in London? France Football released its list of candidates for the men's and women's Ballon d'Or on Tuesday, and the men's defending champion shows up right where he left off last season: among the favorites.

This year's ceremony comes with a twist. For the first time, it won't be held in Paris. Instead it moves to London on October 26, marking 70 years since the award's first winner, England's Stanley Matthews, took home the trophy in 1956. A nod to history for an edition that promises a tight race.

Dembélé, Kane and Mbappé Lead the Men's Race

Dembélé arrives with plenty of arguments in his favor: he was central to Paris Saint-Germain's second straight Champions League title. In an interview with France Football, he didn't hold back when discussing his chances of winning again.

I don't think the trophy is up for grabs indefinitely. I think it will stay in the hands of a Paris Saint-Germain player.Ousmane Dembélé

Interestingly, when asked to name his three favorites, Dembélé pointed to teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappé, while also mentioning Michael Olise, Lamine Yamal, Fabián Ruiz, and Willian Pacho. He left himself off the list.

Kane has his own strong case to make: he put together one of his best seasons, with 73 goals for club and country, claimed the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich, and led England to third place at the World Cup. Mbappé, meanwhile, played in that same World Cup with France, who were eliminated in the semifinals by champions Spain, and etched his name in the history books by passing Lionel Messi as the tournament's all-time leading scorer, netting 22 goals in fewer matches than the Argentine.

Speaking of Messi: at 39, with eight Ballons d'Or already on his shelf, he also makes the list after leading Argentina to the World Cup final and winning MLS Cup with Inter Miami. Winning the award without a major club title is a tough ask, but nobody is ruling out the Argentine captain once the voting begins.

No Bonmatí on the Women's List

On the women's side, the most talked-about absence is Aitana Bonmatí. The Spaniard, winner of the last three editions, missed a large chunk of the season with an injury and didn't make the cut among the 30 nominees, despite returning in time to add another Champions League title with Barcelona during the club's quadruple-winning campaign.

With Bonmatí out of the running, the field opens up for Alexia Putellas (a two-time winner), Ewa Pajor, and Melchie Dumornay, who emerge as the leading candidates to take home the trophy.

The voting system remains unchanged: journalists from the 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA rankings vote for the men's award, and from the top 50 for the women's award. Each voter ranks their choices in order of preference, with points awarded based on placement. Organizers maintain that the criteria prioritize, in this order, individual performance, collective achievements, and finally, class and fair play on the field.