Ballon d’Or Heads to London as Awards Leave France for Historic 70th Edition
The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony will take place in London this year, ending a long spell in France as organisers prepare to mark the 70th anniversary of football’s most prestigious individual honour.
France Football confirmed that the 2026 edition will hold on October 26, with London chosen as host city for the first time in the award’s history.
Organisers said the move is also a tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, the first-ever Ballon d’Or winner in 1956, as the ceremony returns to the city closely tied to the award’s early roots.
The event had largely been staged in Paris in recent years, although it moved to Zurich between 2010 and 2015 during the FIFA Ballon d’Or era before returning to France. UEFA has served as co-organiser since 2024.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona Femení star Aitana Bonmatí are the current holders of the men’s and women’s awards respectively.
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