The 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees list is officially out with players like Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane all leading the way as the biggest names in Football.
As expected, some of the sport’s top performers from the 2025/26 season have secured places on the prestigious shortlist after outstanding displays for both club and country.
Among the headline names is Kylian Mbappe, who enjoyed another brilliant campaign with Real Madrid and continued to deliver goals at the highest level.
The French superstar has long been considered one of the favorites to win football’s biggest individual award, and his inclusion on the nominees list comes as no surprise.
Harry Kane is also among the nominees after another remarkable season in front of goal. The Bayern Munich striker once again proved why he is regarded as one of the best finishers in the game.
His consistency, leadership, and impressive scoring record helped strengthen his case for Ballon d’Or recognition.
Last year’s winner Ousmane Dembele has also earned a place on the shortlist. The French winger continued to impress with his creativity, pace, and ability to influence big matches.
His performances have kept him among the elite players in world football and a strong contender for another high finish in the voting.
One of the most exciting nominees is Lamine Yamal, whose rise to the top has been one of football’s biggest stories. The young Barcelona star has enjoyed an incredible year and is now widely seen as one of the future faces of the game.
His performances for both club and country earned him a deserved place among the nominees. Other major names on the list include Haaland, Bellingham, Rodri, Vinicius Junior, Kvaratskhelia, Messi, and Olise.
SEE FULL NOMINEES LIST
Jude Bellingham
Ousmane Dembele
Pau Cubarsi
Marc Cucurella
Bruno Fernandes
Luis Diaz
Erling Haaland
Gabriel Magalhaes
Achraf Hakimi
Harry Kane
Lamine Yamal
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Sadio Mane
Marquinhos
Kylian Mbappe
Lautaro Martinez
Lionel Messi
Nuno Mendes
Joao Neves
Michael Olise
Willian Pacho
Julian Quinones
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Each player produced standout performances during the season and played important roles for their respective teams. This isn’t just for their clubs, but also national team.
With the World Cup recently taking place, this year award winner is expected to be a very close one with many players showing up for national team.
Many might also argue the inclusion of Lionel Messi, but his performance at the FIFA World Cup place him among the top 10 favorite to claim the award this year.
Erling Haaland is also another favorite, but Norway failure to go far at the World Cup and Manchester City not doing too well might have a stain on his chances of winning.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is one of the most competitive in recent years. Unlike previous eras that were dominated by a small number of players, several stars now have a realistic chance of lifting the famous trophy.
Success in domestic leagues, European competitions, international tournaments, goals scored, assists provided, and overall impact on matches will all influence the final voting.
With stars such as Mbappe, Kane, Dembele, Yamal, Haaland, and others all making the shortlist, football fans can expect plenty of debate over who deserves to be crowned the world’s best player when the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in London later this year.
