UEFA confirmed this Thursday that the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place next Monday, October 26, in London, an unprecedented venue for the gala that will also celebrate the 70th anniversary of the recognition created by France Football magazine in 1956.

The highest individual award in world football will take place in the English capital for the first time, in a decision that also pays tribute to Stanley Matthews, the legendary English footballer who won the inaugural edition of the award seven decades ago.

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The event, presented by France Football - a publication belonging to the L'Équipe group - is co-organised with UEFA since 2024, an alliance that has strengthened the international impact of the award.

London will host the Ballon d'Or gala in a special edition

The choice of London for the Ballon d'Or ceremony represents a new step in the global expansion of the brand, as highlighted by UEFA itself in the official announcement.

“The Ballon d’Or®, the most prestigious and distinguished award in the world of football, created by France Football in 1956, will celebrate its 70th anniversary with an award ceremony in London (England) on October 26, for the first time,” said the European body.

In addition, UEFA explained that the venue was selected in recognition of Stanley Matthews, considered one of the most important figures in English football and the first winner of the trophy.

Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí, the latest winners

The expectation for the 2026 Ballon d'Or has already begun, especially after the Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, PSG star, and the Spanish Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona star, were recognized in the most recent edition.

Bonmatí, in addition, has already won the award three times and remains one of the great leaders of international women's soccer.

“As the end of the European football season approaches, and with the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the question on everyone's mind remains: who will succeed the 2025 winners, Aitana Bonmatí and Ousmane Dembélé?”, the statement highlighted.

When will the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or be known?

UEFA also reported that more details related to media accreditation and the official list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or will be released soon.

Meanwhile, fans and specialists are already beginning to debate who could become the next winners of the most important individual recognition in world football.

All official announcements and information related to the 2026 edition will be available on ballondor.com.