Ballon d’Or 2026: France Football clarifies criteria and players endorse candidates

France Football has clarified the criteria for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, noting that the award covers performances between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026. This timeframe includes international tournaments but excludes performances from the very start of the current season. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on October 26, following a vote from 30 nominees, including players such as Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe.

In a separate development regarding African football, Ivorian player Nicolas Pépé has expressed his support for Senegalese midfielder Pape Gueye for the 2026 African Ballon d’Or. Pépé highlighted Gueye’s performances in La Liga and his decisive goal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) final. The outcome of Gueye’s candidacy may be influenced by an ongoing legal matter at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the title of the 2025 CAN, which was reassigned from Senegal to Morocco.