On 8 September, the 30 nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d'Or were announced; the award will be presented on 26 October in London.

The shortlist brings together the leading figures in world football following an exceptionally demanding season, marked by major competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup, amongst others.

The list reflects the emergence of a new generation of footballers who have taken centre stage, alongside promising young talents taking their first steps and established stars who remain at the top of their game.

The list of names reveals one club as the clear dominant force: Paris Saint-Germain.

The Parisian club, winners of the most recent Champions League, has established its dominance by accounting for a third of all the players selected.

The 30 nominees for the 2026 ‘Ballon d'Or’

  • Achraf Hakimi (PSG)

  • Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

  • Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

  • Declan Rice (Arsenal)

  • Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

  • Fabián Ruiz (PSG)

  • Ferran Torres (Barcelona/PSG)

  • Gabriel (Arsenal)

  • Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

  • João Neves (PSG)

  • Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

  • Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah)

  • Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG)

  • Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)

  • Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

  • Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)

  • Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

  • Luis Díaz (Bayern Munich)

  • Marc Cucurella (Chelsea/Real Madrid)

  • Marquinhos (PSG)

  • Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

  • Nuno Mendes (PSG)

  • Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

  • Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)

  • Rodri (Manchester City/Barcelona)

  • Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr)

  • Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)

  • Vitinha (PSG)

  • William Saliba (Arsenal)

  • Willian Pacho (PSG)

Paris Saint-Germain and their global dominance

Paris Saint-Germain tops the list of clubs with the most players nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, with 10 players nominated.

Their historic back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles under Luis Enrique have resulted in a massive presence for the Parisian side on the shortlist.

Below, we’ll take a look at all the clubs worldwide that have at least one nominee for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d'Or.

It should be noted that, in the case of players who changed clubs in mid-2026 (such as Marc Cucurella or Ferran Torres), their nomination is credited equally to both clubs, as they played for both during the period under review.

The clubs with the most players nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or

  • Paris Saint-Germain: 10 nominees

  • Bayern Munich: 4 nominees

  • Real Madrid: 4 nominees

  • FC Barcelona: 4 nominees

  • Arsenal: 3 nominees

  • Manchester City: 2 nominees

  • Chelsea: 1 nominee

  • Manchester United: 1 nominee

  • Inter Milan: 1 nominee

  • Al-Nassr: 1 nominee

  • Al-Qadsiah: 1 nominee

  • Inter Miami: 1 nominee

Who will be the big winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or?

We’ll find out on 26 October in London.