Reason The 2026 Ballon d'Or Ceremony Is Held In London

The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place tonight in London instead of Paris to mark the 70th anniversary of Sir Stanley Matthews winning the first award.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 26, 2026 · 9:00 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

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

The event moved to London to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Sir Stanley Matthews winning the first trophy in 1956.

Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal are the front runners for the award.

DAZN holds exclusive broadcasting rights and offers a free stream for viewers who sign up with an email address.

The main awards presentation starts at 8pm GMT.

Football holds its 70th Ballon d'Or event tonight in a new location, as England captain Harry Kane and Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal lead the race for the top individual prize.

Kane aims to become the fifth Englishman to claim the honor, following Michael Owen in 2001. Paris and the Theatre du Chatelet hosted the previous seven galas, but London's famous London Palladium hosts tonight's crowning of the world's best player.

Why is the Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony in London?

Organizers moved the event to London to mark seventy years since Sir Stanley Matthews received the prize. The Blackpool and England legend took home the very first trophy in 1956. Matthews secured the award at age 41, keeping his record as its oldest winner. Dubbed the Wizard of the Dribble, he beat Real Madrid star Alfredo Di Stefano for the initial honor. In 1953, he also led Blackpool from a 3-1 deficit against Bolton to a 4-3 victory in the FA Cup final known as the Matthews Final.

How to watch Ballon d'Or 2026 FREE

Supporters across the globe can view the full event at no cost. DAZN holds exclusive broadcast rights for the gala. Viewers can watch the stream by registering for a free DAZN account with an email address. The complimentary broadcast covers red-carpet arrivals, pre-ceremony coverage, and the main presentation beginning at 8pm GMT. Audiences can additionally stream the event live via the official Ballon d'Or website.

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