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Ballon d'Or website accidentally publishes winner articles
Hours before the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium, the official award website mistakenly published articles claiming Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, and Lamine Yamal had won. The articles, which appeared on the English version of the site for approximately 30 minutes, were accessible via direct links but did not appear on the homepage.
Organizers issued a statement explaining that the posts were pre-written candidate profiles prepared by Ballondor.com for all nominees in the event of a victory. They clarified that the content did not reveal the actual rankings of the top three candidates. Following the incident, Harry Kane was announced as the men's winner, while Alexia Putellas won the women's award.
Separately, Kylian Mbappé faced public scrutiny regarding his reaction when Kane's victory was announced. Video footage showed the Real Madrid striker remaining seated and showing minimal emotion when Kane approached to offer a hug, leading to debates among fans regarding sportsmanship and respect.
Entities
Alexia Putellas · France Football · Harry Kane · Kylian Mbappé · Lamine Yamal
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or 2026.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The official Ballon d'Or website published articles claiming Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, and Lamine Yamal won the award.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Kylian Mbappé remained seated when Harry Kane approached to congratulate him.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The erroneous articles appeared on the English version of the website for about 30 minutes.