Ballon d'Or 2026 Is Monday: Every Award, Every Nominee and the Cards That Follow

The 2026 Ballon d'Or is presented on Monday, October 26 at the London Palladium, starting at 8 p.m. London time (4 p.m. ET), the first ceremony held in London, per UEFA.com. Thierry Henry and Kate Scott host. Thirty men and thirty women are nominated for the main awards, and Lamine Yamal is up for a third straight Young Talent prize. Topps made Topps NOW card sets for the winners in each of the last two years.

The Awards and the Nominees

Per UEFA.com, updated October 23, 2026:

Men's Ballon d'Or (30 nominees)

• Bellingham, Cubarsí, Cucurella, Dembélé, Luis Díaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel, Haaland, Hakimi, Kane, Kvaratskhelia, Lamine Yamal, Mané, Marquinhos, Lautaro Martínez, Mbappé, Nuno Mendes, Messi, João Neves, Olise, Pacho, Quiñones, Rice, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Saliba, Ferran Torres, Upamecano, Vinícius Júnior, Vitinha

Women's Ballon d'Or (30 nominees)

• Bacha, Banda, Bühl, Brugts, Caldentey, Camberos, Casparij, Chawinga, Coll, Dumornay, Graham Hansen, Greenwood, Guijarro, Harder, Hasegawa, Lavelle, Mapi León, Lorena, Malard, Matsukubo, Miedema, Pajor, Pina, Putellas, Renard, Russo, Shaw, Tanikawa, Weir, Wullaert

Men's Young Talent (10 nominees)

• Alajbegović, Bouaddi, Cubarsí, Diomandé, Karl, Kroupi, Lamine Yamal, Manzambi, Maza, Zaïre-Emery

Women's Young Talent (5 nominees)

• Buurman, Vicky López, Schröder, Serrajordi, Yohannes

Goalkeepers

• Men: Bounou, Courtois, Joan García, Kobel, Emiliano Martínez, Mendy, Raya, Safonov, Unai Simón, Vozinha
• Women: Berger, Coll, Hampton, Lorena, Yamashita

Coaches

• Men: Arteta, de la Fuente, Emery, Kompany, Luis Enrique
• Women: Giráldez, Jeglertz, Nielsen, Romeu, Sadiku

Clubs

• Men: Arsenal, Bayern München, Bodø/Glimt, Flamengo, Paris Saint-Germain
• Women: Barcelona, Bayern München, Club América, Manchester City, OL Lyonnes

UEFA also lists Men's and Women's Striker of the Year and the Sócrates Award, presented by L'Équipe and Peace and Sport. UEFA publishes no nominee shortlist for either.

The Cards That Followed the Last Two Ceremonies

2024. Topps released a Topps NOW set for Rodri, Aitana Bonmatí and Lamine Yamal, on sale until November 8, 2024, per SI Collectibles.

2025. Topps NOW made sets for the major award winners, including Ousmane Dembélé and Bonmatí, according to SI Collectibles on September 26, 2025, four days after the September 22 ceremony. SI listed foilfractors numbered to 50 and below, relic cards with pieces of the event's red carpet numbered to 25, and a 1/1 foilfractor autograph in each set. Yamal's set added short-print image variations and a red foilfractor relic numbered to 5. Yamal won the men's Kopa Trophy (now Young Talent of the Year) in 2024 and 2025, per TNT Sports.

2026. We found no Topps NOW announcement for this year's ceremony as of October 23, 2026. Topps NOW cards are printed to order and sold for a short window, as the record Messi Final Farewell pack showed this month.

What Collectors Watch on Monday

The winner's card market. For each nominee's top card sale, see our ranking of the Ballon d'Or 2026 nominees' most valuable cards, led by Yamal's $707,600 Goldin sale in July 2026.

Our take: the award night is the start, not the end. Topps NOW sets in both previous years followed the ceremony within days. If Topps repeats the format, the print-to-order window is when a winner's base card is easiest to get. Our guide to Lamine Yamal cards covers his rookies.

Where to Go From Here

Award nights move attention to players and their cards. If you want to collect real, vaulted cards, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack when you sign up, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open.

Details checked October 23, 2026. Facts are as published by UEFA.com and SI Collectibles. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with the Ballon d'Or, France Football, UEFA, L'Équipe, Topps, Fanatics, the players and clubs named or the other companies named.

Sources

• UEFA.com: 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, when and where, all the nominees, updated October 23, 2026, accessed October 23, 2026
• SI Collectibles: Topps NOW celebrates Ballon d'Or and other soccer award winners, published September 26, 2025, accessed October 23, 2026
• SI Collectibles: Aitana Bonmatí wins second consecutive women's Ballon d'Or, published October 30, 2024, accessed October 23, 2026
• TNT Sports: Lamine Yamal retains Kopa Trophy for best young player, published September 22, 2025, accessed October 23, 2026