The Ballon d'Or 2026 has its winners. Harry Kane claimed the men's prize. Alexia Putellas took the women's crown. Both collected their awards at a glittering ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, 2026. For England, it was the end of a 25-year wait. For Putellas, it was a return to the very top of the women's game.
The Ballon d’Or 2026 has its winners. Harry Kane claimed the men’s prize. Alexia Putellas took the women’s crown. Both collected their awards at a glittering ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, 2026. For England, it was the end of a 25-year wait. For Putellas, it was a return to the very top of the women’s game.
Football’s biggest individual night moved to London for its 70th edition, the first time the ceremony has ever left France. The Palladium hosted the awards to mark the anniversary of Stanley Matthews winning the first Ballon d’Or in 1956. In addition, the evening started 45 minutes late after traffic delayed guests. Once the show began, however, it delivered one memorable moment after another.
Ballon d’Or 2026: Harry Kane ends England’s long wait
Kane beat Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. It was one of the closest races in recent years. The England captain did not win the Champions League or the World Cup during the 2025-26 season. Instead, he won on the sheer weight of his numbers. It was also a reward for a career of sustained excellence.
The figures behind Kane’s case are staggering. He scored 73 goals in 65 matches for club and country across the season. Of those, 61 came for Bayern Munich in just 51 games, as the German champions completed a league-and-cup double. He also starred for England at the 2026 World Cup in North America. The Three Lions reached the latter stages of the tournament.
As a result, Kane became the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001. He is only the fifth English player to claim the prize. He joins Owen, Matthews, Bobby Charlton, and Kevin Keegan, who won it twice. At 33, he is also among the oldest first-time winners in the award’s history. Earlier in the evening, he was also named striker of the year.
For Kane, the London setting made the moment even sweeter. He spent 14 seasons in Tottenham Hotspur’s first team before moving to Bayern. He lifted the trophy in the city where his career began. On stage, he thanked his teammates, coaches, and family, calling the honour a team effort.
Alexia Putellas wins a third Ballon d’Or Féminin
On the women’s side, Alexia Putellas claimed her third Ballon d’Or Féminin. She beat Ewa Pajor and Melchie Dumornay. She previously won the award in 2021 and 2022. Her latest triumph confirms her status as one of the game’s greatest players.
Putellas earned the award after a treble-winning campaign with Barcelona, a season that also included the Spanish Super Cup. Then, in July, she made a blockbuster move to London City Lionesses. She joined the English Women’s Super League as its biggest-ever signing. Her win in London, her new home city, therefore felt like a perfect full circle.
Meanwhile, the night underlined Spanish football’s dominance. Barcelona Femení were named women’s club of the year. Their goalkeeper Cata Coll won the goalkeeper award. Vicky López took the young women’s player prize for a second straight year. Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente won the men’s coach award. He led Spain to World Cup glory in the summer.
Ballon d’Or 2026: full list of winners
Beyond the two headline prizes, the ceremony honoured the season’s best players, coaches, clubs, and humanitarians. Here is the complete list of winners from the Ballon d’Or 2026 night:
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Men’s Ballon d’Or | Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) |
| Women’s Ballon d’Or | Alexia Putellas (Barcelona / London City Lionesses, Spain) |
| Men’s young player (Kopa Trophy) | Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain) |
| Women’s young player | Vicky López (Barcelona, Spain) |
| Men’s coach of the year | Luis de la Fuente (Spain) |
| Women’s coach of the year | Pere Romeu (Barcelona) |
| Men’s goalkeeper of the year | Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao, Spain) |
| Women’s goalkeeper of the year | Cata Coll (Barcelona, Spain) |
| Men’s striker of the year | Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) |
| Women’s striker of the year | Charlyn Corral (Pachuca, Mexico) |
| Men’s club of the year | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Women’s club of the year | Barcelona |
| Sócrates Award (humanitarian work) | Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, England) |
Yamal’s win, meanwhile, deserves a special note. The Barcelona winger claimed the young men’s prize for a third straight year. It is a remarkable run for a player still in his teens. Saka’s Sócrates Award, meanwhile, recognised his charity work at home and abroad.
What Kane’s Ballon d’Or win means — and what comes next
First, the result settles a debate that dominated the build-up. Before the ceremony, much of the talk centred on one question. Would Yamal’s brilliance or Mbappé’s star power edge out Kane’s goals? In the end, voters rewarded the most complete season: goals, trophies, and leadership for club and country. For example, Kane’s 61 Bayern goals came with a league-and-cup double, not in a struggling side.
Second, the win reshapes Kane’s legacy. He arrived at Bayern in 2023 still chasing a first major team trophy. Critics once questioned whether he could ever win the game’s biggest individual prize. Now he owns both a trophy cabinet and a Ballon d’Or. As a result, his place among England’s all-time greats is secure.
Ballon d’Or 2026: why this race felt different
This race also felt different because it was so open. In recent years, the men’s award has often had a clear favourite. This time, three genuine contenders arrived in London with real cases. The ceremony itself moved to a new city for a landmark anniversary. That combination made the night feel like a fresh chapter for the award, not just another gala.
Looking ahead, the 2027 race already looks fascinating. Yamal will only get better, and Mbappé remains a force. For now, though, the night belongs to Kane and Putellas. They are two players at very different career stages, united by one golden ball. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be remembered fondly. It was the night England’s wait ended and Spain’s queen returned to her throne.
For more on the build-up, read our earlier look at the Mbappé vs. Yamal Ballon d’Or debate. You can also catch up on the weekend’s football in our Chelsea vs. Spurs derby report. Full live coverage is available from ESPN, NBC Sports, and theScore.
