By Boluwatife Oshadiya | July 20, 2026
Key Points
- The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, 2026
- London will host the prestigious football awards for the first time in the event’s history
- UEFA and France Football will jointly organise the ceremony for the third consecutive year
Main Story
The 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or will be held in London, England, on October 26, 2026, marking the first time the world’s most prestigious individual football awards ceremony will take place in the English capital.
France Football, which created the Ballon d’Or in 1956 and owns the award through the L’Équipe Group, announced that the ceremony will commemorate its 70th anniversary by moving to London. UEFA, which has co-organised the awards since 2024, will again partner with France Football for this year’s event.
According to the organisers, the choice of London pays tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, the legendary English footballer who became the first-ever Ballon d’Or winner in 1956. The decision also reflects the organisers’ efforts to strengthen the global profile of the awards by staging the ceremony in one of football’s most historic cities.
The announcement comes as the 2025/26 European football season draws to a close and attention gradually shifts towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Football fans will now turn their focus to the race for this year’s individual honours, with Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí and France’s Ousmane Dembélé set to hand over their titles after winning the women’s and men’s awards respectively in 2025.
“The Ballon d’Or will celebrate its 70th anniversary by holding this year’s ceremony in London for the very first time,” France Football and UEFA said in a joint announcement.
The organisers added that details regarding media accreditation, the nomination process and the shortlist of candidates will be announced in the coming months.
What’s Being Said
France Football and UEFA said the decision to stage the ceremony in London reflects both the competition’s 70-year legacy and its ambition to continue expanding the Ballon d’Or’s global reach.
“By staging its 70th edition in the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the Ballon d’Or continues its expansion and further strengthens its status as a globally prestigious brand,” the organisers said.
What’s Next
- France Football and UEFA are expected to announce the full list of nominees later in 2026.
- Media accreditation details for journalists covering the ceremony will be released in the coming months.
- The winners of the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards will be unveiled during the ceremony in London on October 26.
The Bottom Line: Moving the Ballon d’Or to London for its landmark 70th edition underscores the organisers’ strategy of expanding the global appeal of football’s most prestigious individual honour while paying tribute to its origins through Sir Stanley Matthews, the award’s first-ever recipient.
