Harry Kane was elected the best player in the world at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony held at the London Palladium Theatre, according to coverage published by LANCE!. The event marked a historic departure from its traditional home in Paris, relocating to England to honor Stanley Matthews, the legendary Blackpool forward who won the inaugural trophy in 1956. The voting window for this year’s awards spanned from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, placing heavy emphasis on individual performance, club trophies, and the 2026 World Cup.
Kane, the Bayern Munich and England striker, secured the men’s Ballon d’Or after a standout campaign, while Alexia Putellas marked her presence on the red carpet of the 2026 ceremony after winning the award in 2021 and 2022. The ceremony brought together global football figures in central London to recognize achievements across club and international competitions.
London Palladium Theatre Hosts the 70th Annual Gala
The 70th edition of the France Football awards broke tradition by moving the gala across the English Channel to London. Organizers selected the venue to pay tribute to Matthews, whose victory in 1956 launched the history of the award. The evaluation period captured a dense calendar of continental league fixtures, European tournament runs, and the summer World Cup.
Brazil established a prominent presence among the nominees in the British capital. Vini Jr., Marquinhos, and Gabriel Magalhães contested the men’s player of the year category alongside Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, and others. In the women’s ranks, goalkeeper Lorena represented Brazil among the nominees for the world’s best player, while Flamengo traveled to London as one of the finalists for the men’s club of the year award.
Trophies Awarded Across Men’s and Women’s Categories
In the coaching ranks, Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente collected the men’s coach of the year award following his squad’s World Cup triumph. Pere Romeu of Barcelona took home the women’s coach of the year prize after a successful season.
Defensive and goalkeeping excellence also received recognition on the London stage. Unai Simón of Athletic Bilbao and the Spanish national team won the Yashin Trophy for men’s goalkeeper of the year, backed by his World Cup success. Catalina Coll of Barcelona claimed the women’s Yashin Trophy, handed to her by former Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. Bukayo Saka of Arsenal earned the Sócrates Award for his humanitarian and social initiatives away from the pitch.
Young Talents and Club Honors in London
The Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player remained in familiar hands. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona secured the men’s Kopa Trophy for the third year, having won the prize in 2024, 2025, and 2026. In the women’s young talent category, Barcelona forward Vicky López successfully defended her title, claiming the trophy for the second straight year after her 2025 victory, presented by Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze.
Club awards reflected dominant domestic and continental campaigns. Paris Saint-Germain won the men’s club of the year award, with forward Ousmane Dembélé accepting the trophy on stage. Barcelona swept the women’s equivalents, as club president Joan Laporta accepted the best women’s club honor following a historic quadruple that included the Supercopa de España, Liga F, Copa de la Reina, and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
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