Ballon d'Or 2026: Time, TV Channel, Free Stream and Nominees

London hosts the 70th Ballon d'Or tonight, with Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal leading the nominees for the world's best player award.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 26, 2026 · 1:49 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place tonight in London at the London Palladium Theatre.

Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal are the two leading contenders to win the men's award.

DAZN is providing a free live stream of the entire event which begins at 8pm UK time.

A total of 30 players were named to the men's shortlist announced in early September.

London is hosting the 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or tonight, featuring Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal as the main contenders for the title of best player in the world.

Kane aims to become the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. The England captain scored 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich last season, helping them secure a league and cup double, and later led his country to a third-place finish at the World Cup.

Yamal contributed 24 goals and 18 assists for Barcelona during their run to a second straight LaLiga title, and also helped Spain win the World Cup by defeating Argentina.

Last year's winner Ousmane Dembele is nominated again after winning the Champions League and Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and finishing fourth with France at the World Cup. Kylian Mbappe is also nominated after leading the scoring charts in the Champions League, LaLiga, and the World Cup.

When is Ballon d'Or 2026?

The ceremony takes place tonight on Monday, October 26. It begins at 8pm UK time and runs for about two hours.

For the first time, the event leaves Paris and takes place at the London Palladium Theatre. The move honors Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the first trophy in 1956.

The voting period spans from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, meaning North American World Cup performances heavily influenced the results decided by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations.

How to watch Ballon d'Or 2026 FREE

DAZN holds exclusive broadcasting rights and offers a free live stream. Fans can sign up with an email address to watch the red carpet, pre-ceremony coverage, and main presentation for free. The event is also streaming on the official Ballon d'Or website.