PSG Leads Ballon d'Or 2026 Nominees with Nine Players on Shortlist

Paris Saint-Germain, fresh off their back-to-back European titles, has nine players featured in the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, reflecting their outstanding 2025-26 season under coach Luis Enrique.

The prestigious award's nominees were revealed by France Football on September 8. Last year's winner, Ousmane Dembele, is nominated again, but many expect a new champion to emerge, possibly one of his PSG teammates like forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Ferran Torres, who scored Spain's winning goal in the World Cup final against Argentina before moving from Barcelona to PSG, earns his first nomination. Spain leads all nations with six nominees, including 2024 winner and World Cup Golden Ball recipient Rodri, now playing alongside Lamine Yamal, runner-up last year.

Lionel Messi appears on the list following another strong World Cup showing, though the final loss likely ended his hopes of a record ninth trophy.

Men's Ballon d'Or Nominees 2026

• Jude Bellingham: Real Madrid / England (4 nominations)
• Pau Cubarsi: Barcelona / Spain (1)
• Marc Cucurella: Chelsea/Real Madrid / Spain (1)
• Ousmane Dembele: Paris Saint-Germain / France (2)
• Luis Diaz: Bayern Munich / Colombia (2)
• Bruno Fernandes: Manchester United / Portugal (2)
• Erling Haaland: Manchester City / Norway (6)
• Gabriel: Arsenal / Brazil (1)
• Harry Kane: Bayern Munich / England (8)
• Achraf Hakimi: Paris Saint-Germain / Morocco (2)
• Lamine Yamal: Barcelona / Spain (3)
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: Paris Saint-Germain / Georgia (3)
• Marquinhos: Paris Saint-Germain / Brazil (2)
• Sadio Mane: Al Nassr / Senegal (5)
• Lisandro Martinez: Inter Milan / Argentina (5)
• Kylian Mbappe: Real Madrid / France (9)
• Nuno Mendes: Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal (2)
• Lionel Messi: Inter Miami / Argentina (17)
• Michael Olise: Bayern Munich / France (2)
• Joao Neves: Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal (2)
• William Pacho: Paris Saint-Germain / Ecuador (1)
• Julian Quinones: Al-Qadsiah / Mexico (1)
• Declan Rice: Arsenal / England (3)
• Rodri: Man City/Barcelona / Spain (3)
• Fabian Ruiz: Paris Saint-Germain / Spain (2)
• Ferran Torres: Barcelona/PSG / Spain (1)
• William Saliba: Arsenal / France (2)
• Dayot Upamecano: Bayern Munich / France (1)
• Vinicius Junior: Real Madrid / Brazil (5)
• Vitinha: Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal (3)

Women's Ballon d'Or Nominees 2026

• Selma Bacha: OL Lyonnes / France (2)
• Barbra Banda: Orlando Pride / Zambia (3)
• Klara Buhl: Bayern Munich / Germany (2)
• Esmee Brugts: Barcelona / Netherlands (1)
• Mariona Caldentey: Arsenal / Spain (3)
• Scarlett Camberos: Club America / Mexico (1)
• Kerstin Casparij: Manchester City / Netherlands (1)
• Temwa Chawinga: Kansas City Current / Malawi (2)
• Cata Coll: Barcelona / Spain (1)
• Melchie Dumornay: OL Lyonnes / Haiti (2)
• Caroline Graham Hansen: Barcelona / Norway (3)
• Alex Greenwood: Manchester City / England (1)
• Patri Guijarro: Barcelona / Spain (4)
• Pernille Harder: Bayern Munich / Denmark (5)
• Yui Hasegawa: Manchester City / Japan (3)
• Rose Lavelle: Gotham City / USWNT (2)
• Mapi Leon: Barcelona/London City Lionesses / Spain (2)
• Lorena: Kanas City Current / Brazil (1)
• Melvine Malard: Manchester United/Chelsea / France (1)
• Manaka Matsukubo: North Carolina Courage/Chelsea / Japan (1)
• Ewa Pajor: Barcelona / Poland (4)
• Vivianne Miedema: Manchester City / Netherlands (4)
• Claudia Pina: Barcelona / Spain (2)
• Alexia Putellas: Barcelona/London City Lionesses (5)
• Alessia Russo: Arsenal / England (2)
• Momoko Tanikawa: Bayern Munich / Japan (1)
• Wendie Renard: OL Lyonnes / France (6)
• Khadija Shaw: Manchester City / Jamaica (3)
• Caroline Weir: Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes / Scotland (2)
• Tessa Wullaert: Inter Milan/Como / Belgium (1)

Men's Young Talent of the Year Nominees

• Kerim Alajbegovic: Salzburg/Juventus / Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Ayyoub Bouaddi: Lille/Manchester City / Morocco
• Pau Cubarsi: Barcelona / Spain
• Yan Diomande: RB Leipzig/Real Madrid / Ivory Coast
• Lennart Karl: Bayern Munich / Germany
• Eli Junior Kroupi: Bournemouth
• Lamine Yamal: Barcelona / Spain
• Johan Manzambi: Freiburg/Aston Villa / Switzerland
• Ibrahim Maza: Bayer Leverkusen / Algeria
• Warren Zaire-Emery: Paris Saint-Germain / France

Women's Young Talent of the Year Nominees

• Veerle Buurman: Chelsea / Netherlands
• Vicky Lopez: Barcelona Femeni / Spain
• Felicia Schroder: BK Hacken/Real Madrid / Sweden
• Clara Serrajordi: Barcelona Femeni / Spain
• Lily Yohannes: OL Lyonnes / USWNT

Women's Coach of the Year Nominees

• Jonatan Giraldez (OL Lyonnes)
• Andree Jeglertz (Manchester City)
• Nils Nielsen (Japan*)
• Pere Romeu (Barcelona Femeni)
• Elena Sadiku (Celtic/BK Hacken)

*Nils Nielsen left his role after his contract expired in April 2026.

Men's Coach of the Year Nominees

• Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
• Luis de la Fuente (Spain)
• Unai Emery (Aston Villa)
• Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)
• Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women's Goalkeeper of the Year Nominees

• Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC / Germany)
• Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni / Spain)
• Hannah Hampton (Chelsea / England)
• Lorena (Kansas City Current / Brazil)
• Ayaka Yamashita (Manchester City / Japan)

Men's Goalkeeper of the Year Nominees

• Yassine Bonou (Al Hilal / Morocco)
• Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid / Belgium)
• Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund / Switzerland)
• Joan Garcia (Barcelona / Spain)
• Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli / Senegal)
• Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Chelsea / Senegal)
• David Raya (Arsenal / Spain)
• Vozinha (Colo Colo / Cape Verde)
• Unai Simon (Athletic Club / Spain)
• Matvey Safonov (Paris Saint-Germain / Russia)

Women's Club of the Year Nominees

• Barcelona Femeni
• Bayern Munich
• Club America Femenil
• Manchester City
• OL Lyonnes

Men's Club of the Year Nominees

• Arsenal
• Bayern Munich
• Bodo/Glimt
• Flamengo
• Paris Saint-Germain

About the 2026 Ballon d'Or Ceremony

The award ceremony will take place on Monday, October 26, 2026, in London instead of the usual Paris location. This change honors Sir Stanley Matthews, the first-ever winner, whose inaugural trophy was presented 70 years ago.

How the Ballon d'Or Winner is Chosen

An international panel of journalists selected by France Football picks the finalists for the men's and women's awards. Voting includes media representatives from the top 100 FIFA men's rankings and top 50 FIFA women's rankings countries. Voters rank their choices, assigning points that determine the winner.

The criteria focus on individual performance during the previous season, team success, and fair play, excluding overall career achievements since 2022.