2026 Ballon d’Or: Complete List of Winners
England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been awarded the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
This year’s award saw a close competition, with Kane securing the win over Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona’s young talent Lamine Yamal.
Spain and Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas claimed the women’s award.
Earlier in the evening, Kane received the Gerd Muller Award for Best Striker, while Charlyn Corral won the women’s equivalent.
Paris Saint-Germain were recognized as the Men’s Club of the Year for their exceptional season, and Barcelona took home the Women’s award.
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka was honored with the Socrates Award for Fair Play.
Below is the full list of award recipients:
Men’s Ballon d’Or winner: Harry Kane
Women’s Ballon d’Or winner: Alexia Putellas
Men’s Striker of the Year: Harry Kane
Women’s Striker of the Year: Charlyn Corral
Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s Club of the Year: Barcelona
Socrates Award winner: Bukayo Saka
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Unai Simón
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Cata Coll
Men’s Coach of the Year: Luis de la Fuente
Women’s Coach of the Year: Pere Romeu
Women’s Young Talent of the Year winner: Vicky López
Men’s Young Talent of the Year winner: Lamine Yamal
Harry Kane Holds a Slight Lead on Polymarket Over Lamine Yamal
According to Polymarket data as of October 26, Harry Kane is at 48% and Lamine Yamal is at 43.5% in a closely contested 2026 Ballon d’Or market.
Harry Kane Holds a Slight Lead on Polymarket Over Lamine Yamal
Kane is currently leading the Ballon d’Or Polymarket odds at 48%, with Lamine Yamal close behind at 43.5%. The market now views the 2026 award as a two-competitor race, with the winner to be announced on October 26.
As of today, the “Ballon d’Or Winner 2026” market shows Kane at 48%, Yamal at 43.5%, Lionel Messi at approximately 3.4%, and Kylian Mbappé at about 2.4%.
The total trading volume stands at $45.44 million.
Kane’s odds were above 60% in August and September.
A Polymarket snapshot on August 29 indicated him at 65.45% compared to Yamal’s 14.85%. Yamal has narrowed the gap in October. On Kalshi, Kane was at 51% and Yamal at 47% as of October 5.
Bookmakers have already shifted their predictions. Oddschecker lists Yamal as the favorite at 10/11, with Kane at 6/5, noting that this change occurred after voting concluded on September 28. With the votes cast, the current odds reflect speculation on voter preferences rather than recent performances.
Lamine Yamal celebrating with a teammate on the pitch during a match for Spain.
Lamine Yamal playing for Spain. –
Ballon d’Or Polymarket Odds: Why Are Kane and Yamal the Primary Contenders?
Ballon d’Or Polymarket Odds: Can Yamal Surpass Kane?
Kane scored a total of 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England, including 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern. He secured the Bundesliga top scorer title with 36 league goals, won the European Golden Shoe, and achieved league and cup victories with Bayern. England secured third place at the World Cup.
Yamal, aged 18, contributed 24 goals and 17 assists in 45 club appearances. He won La Liga and was named its Player of the Season, then played the full 120 minutes in the World Cup final as Spain emerged victorious.
In essence, Kane’s argument is built on his goal-scoring record and club achievements, while Yamal’s is based on a league title and a World Cup win.
When Will the Winner Be Announced, and Who Won Previously?
The ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 26, at 8 pm BST, taking place at the London Palladium, marking the first time it has been held outside Paris. The voting involved one hundred journalists.
Harry Kane in an England kit during a football match against France.
Harry Kane playing for England against France. –
Ousmane Dembélé won in 2025 following a season where PSG won the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the French Cup. Yamal finished second, and Kane ranked 13th.
Rodri won in 2024, becoming the first Spaniard to win since Luis Suárez in 1960. Messi holds the record with eight awards, his last in 2023, while Cristiano Ronaldo has five. Neither Kane nor Yamal has previously won the award.
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Daniel Frances is a technical writer and Web3 educator specializing in macroeconomics and DeFi mechanics.
A crypto native since 2017, Daniel uses his background in on-chain analytics to produce evidence-based reports and in-depth guides. He holds certifications from The Blockchain Council and is committed to delivering “information gain” that cuts through market hype to reveal genuine blockchain utility.
