2026 Ballon d’Or: start time and how to watch in the US

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony begins Monday, October 26, at 4 p.m. Eastern and 1 p.m. Pacific (8 p.m. GMT), at the London Palladium. The official option indicated for the United States is DAZN. The same event starts at 5 p.m. in Brasília and 9 p.m. in France and mainland Spain.

Ceremony time in each market

The event is scheduled for October 26, 2026, at 8 p.m. GMT, according to UEFA’s official ceremony guide. The corresponding local times are:

• United States: 4 p.m. Eastern (EDT) and 1 p.m. Pacific (PDT)
• Brazil: 5 p.m. Brasília time (UTC−3)
• France: 9 p.m. Central European Time (CET)
• Mainland Spain: 9 p.m. Central European Time (CET)

This will be the first edition staged in London and marks the 70th anniversary of the award created by France Football in 1956. Thierry Henry and Kate Scott will host the ceremony.

Where to watch officially

The territorial list of broadcast partners published by UEFA identifies DAZN as the global platform, excluding the territories with their own listed partner. DAZN is therefore the stated option for the United States and Brazil. In France, the broadcaster is L'Équipe; in Spain, it is Telefónica.

Rights and availability may change by territory. Before the ceremony, check UEFA’s page and the relevant service’s local schedule. A broadcaster listed for one country should not automatically be assumed to serve another.

Awards presented during the ceremony

The program includes the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or, as well as men’s and women’s awards for young talent, goalkeeper, coach, club and striker of the year. The Sócrates Award, associated with solidarity initiatives and social causes supported by athletes, will also be presented.

Names announced during the event should not be confused with forecasts or the nominee lists. Until each official ranking is published, there is no confirmed 2026 winner.

Brazilian nominees to follow

The men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist includes Gabriel of Arsenal, Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain and Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid. In the women’s competition, Lorena of Kansas City Current is among the 30 nominees and is also nominated for goalkeeper of the year. Flamengo appears among the shortlisted men’s clubs.

Appearing in more than one category does not mean an award has already been won. UEFA’s ceremony guide contains the complete nominee lists and the teams attached to each name.

How voting is decided

Under the official 2026 rules, the criteria, in order, are individual performances and decisive impact; collective performances and honors; and class and fair play. The assessment period runs from August 3, 2025, through July 19, 2026.

Specialist journalists form the juries: one representative from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA ranking for the men’s award and the top 50 for the women’s award. Each voter ranks ten players, who receive points on a descending scale. Ties are decided first by the number of first-place selections and then, if necessary, by subsequent positions.

Where to check the results

The official Ballon d’Or rankings page says the 2026 standings will be added as they are revealed during the ceremony. It is the appropriate source for distinguishing confirmed rankings from speculation. Because the page also displays previous editions, check the year shown before sharing any position.