The Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony starts at 1:30 AM IST on Tuesday, October 27, which is 8 PM GMT on Monday, October 26 in London. It’s being held at the London Palladium for the first time ever. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are the names most people expect near the top.
For Indian fans, this is another very-early-morning watch. Here’s everything in one place: IST timings, how to watch, the nominees, the favourites and how voting works.
Ballon d’Or 2026: Key Facts at a Glance
- Event: 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony
- Date (London): Monday, October 26, 2026
- Main ceremony in IST: 1:30 AM to about 3:30 AM, Tuesday, October 27
- Venue: London Palladium Theatre, London, England
- Organisers: France Football (L’Équipe Group), co-organised with UEFA since 2024
- Defending men’s champion: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG, France)
- Defending women’s champion: Aitana Bonmatà (Barcelona, Spain), who is not on this year’s shortlist after missing most of the season through injury
- Total awards: 13
- Where to watch: DAZN streams it free in most countries; check DAZN India availability, plus the official ballondor.com live coverage
Ballon d’Or 2026 Time in IST (Full Schedule)
Here’s the thing a lot of people get wrong: the UK clocks went back on October 25, so London is now on GMT, not BST. That makes the gap with India exactly 5 hours 30 minutes. According to the official Ballon d’Or schedule, the evening runs like this (I’ve converted it to IST):
- Rankings 30 to 11 revealed: from around 9:30 PM IST, Monday, October 26
- Red carpet: 11:30 PM IST Monday to 1:10 AM IST Tuesday
- Main ceremony: 1:30 AM to 3:30 AM IST, Tuesday, October 27
- Winners’ press conference: from about 4:00 AM IST
So if you only care about who wins, the men’s Ballon d’Or is usually the last award of the night. That means the big reveal will most likely land somewhere around 3 AM IST. The exact order of awards hasn’t been published, so treat that as a rough guide, not a fixed time.
How to Watch Ballon d’Or 2026 in India
UEFA’s broadcast list says DAZN is the global partner for every territory that doesn’t have its own local broadcaster, and India isn’t on the list of local exceptions. In most countries you just sign up for a free DAZN account with your email to watch.
That said, I’d keep a backup ready. NDTV Profit notes that Indian viewers should check DAZN India for availability, and that Sony Sports Ten 1 aired last year’s ceremony. Whether Sony shows it again this year is unconfirmed. The official ballondor.com site will also run live results and analysis through the night, so even if a stream doesn’t work for you, you won’t miss the winners.
Why Is the Ballon d’Or in London This Year?
The ceremony has been held in Paris for years, mostly at the Théâtre du Châtelet since 2019. For the 70th edition, organisers moved it to London as a tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, the English winger who won the very first Ballon d’Or back in 1956. UEFA confirmed this is the first time the ceremony is being staged in England.
Men’s Ballon d’Or 2026 Favourites
This is a World Cup year, and that always shakes things up. Spain won the 2026 World Cup, and there are six Spanish players on the shortlist. But big individual seasons matter a lot too. Based on BBC Sport’s preview, these are the players most talked about:
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
Kane scored 73 goals across club and country in 2025-26 and was Europe’s top club scorer. He also led England to a bronze medal at the World Cup, their best finish since 1966. For a lot of fans, this feels like his best shot ever.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
The 19-year-old finished second last year and has already won the Kopa Trophy twice. He was a key part of Spain’s World Cup win and Barcelona’s La Liga title, with 24 goals and 18 assists for his club despite some injury time.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)
Mbappé won the World Cup Golden Boot with 10 goals and became the tournament’s all-time top scorer. He also scored 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid. The catch? No major trophy for club or country. He was also one of the big names in this weekend’s El Clásico, and I covered the build-up in my El Clásico time in IST and team news post.
The Outsiders: Messi, Rodri and Haaland
Lionel Messi, already an eight-time winner, captained Argentina to the World Cup final and scored eight goals at the tournament. Rodri was named player of the tournament as Spain’s captain, but injuries limited his club season. Erling Haaland was the Premier League’s top scorer with 27 goals and took Norway to their first World Cup quarter-final. All three are in the conversation, but most previews don’t see them winning.
Just to be clear: nobody outside the organisers knows the result yet. Any “leaked winner” posts you see on social media right now are unverified, so I’d ignore them.
Full Men’s Shortlist (30 Players)
Jude Bellingham, Pau CubarsÃ, Marc Cucurella, Ousmane Dembélé, Luis DÃaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel, Erling Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lamine Yamal, Sadio Mané, Marquinhos, Lautaro MartÃnez, Kylian Mbappé, Nuno Mendes, Lionel Messi, João Neves, Michael Olise, Willian Pacho, Julián Quiñones, Declan Rice, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, William Saliba, Ferran Torres, Dayot Upamecano, VinÃcius Júnior and Vitinha.
PSG have the most players on the list, which makes sense after their run of success. Manchester United fans have Bruno Fernandes to cheer for, even though it’s been a rough week at the club. I wrote about that in Bruno Fernandes being dropped for the Bournemouth game.
Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026 Favourites
With Bonmatà out of the running, the women’s prize is wide open. The names to watch are:
- Alexia Putellas: captained Barcelona to a quadruple in 2025-26, including the Champions League, and could win her third Ballon d’Or.
- Khadija Shaw: WSL top scorer for a third straight season, with 21 league goals as Manchester City won their first title in a decade.
- Ewa Pajor: top scorer in the Champions League with 11 goals.
- Melchie Dumornay: 22 goals and 12 assists as Lyon won a domestic treble.
How Is the Ballon d’Or Winner Decided?
For the men’s award, journalists from France Football and L’Équipe pick a 30-player shortlist. Then 100 journalists from around the world each rank those players, and the combined rankings decide the winner. Jurors are told to judge players on three things, in this order:
- Individual performances and decisive impact
- Team performances and trophies won
- Class and fair play
Since 2024, only the most recent season counts, not the calendar year. That’s why World Cup form and club seasons from 2025-26 matter so much this time.
All 13 Awards Being Handed Out
- Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or
- Kopa Trophy (best young player, under 21), men and women
- Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper), men and women
- Gerd Müller Trophy (best striker), men and women
- Johan Cruyff Trophy (best coach), men and women
- Club of the Year, men and women
- Sócrates Award (for social and charity work)
FAQ
What time is the Ballon d’Or 2026 in India?
The main ceremony starts at 1:30 AM IST on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The red carpet starts at 11:30 PM IST on Monday night.
Where is the Ballon d’Or 2026 being held?
At the London Palladium Theatre in London. It’s the first time the ceremony has been held in England.
Can I watch the Ballon d’Or 2026 for free in India?
DAZN is streaming it free in most countries after a simple sign-up. Check whether it’s available on DAZN India. Official live updates will also be on ballondor.com.
Who won the Ballon d’Or in 2025?
Ousmane Dembélé of PSG and France won the men’s award, and Aitana Bonmatà won the women’s award for the third year in a row.
Who is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or 2026?
Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are the most talked-about contenders, according to BBC Sport. The winner hasn’t been announced yet.
I’ll update this post with the full list of winners once the ceremony wraps up on Tuesday morning, India time.