Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Rodri are among the 30 players nominated for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or.

France Football released the shortlist on Tuesday, September 8, following a season that included the 2025–26 club campaign and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The winner will be announced at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26.

France Football has unveiled the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, officially opening the final stage of the race for one of football’s biggest individual awards.

Eight-time winner Lionel Messi is back among the nominees after missing the previous two shortlists. His inclusion comes after another major international campaign with Argentina, which reached the 2026 World Cup final. Messi subsequently announced his retirement from international football on August 31, but he remains an active club player with Inter Miami.

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is also on the list after an outstanding 2025–26 season. The official Ballon d’Or figures credit the Spain international with 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 matches, while his honours included the World Cup, Spanish league title and Spanish Super Cup.

The full 30-player men's shortlist is:

- Jude Bellingham — England
- Pau Cubarsí — Spain
- Marc Cucurella — Spain
- Ousmane Dembélé — France
- Luis Díaz — Colombia
- Bruno Fernandes — Portugal
- Gabriel — Brazil
- Erling Haaland — Norway
- Achraf Hakimi — Morocco
- Harry Kane — England
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — Georgia
- Lamine Yamal — Spain
- Sadio Mané — Senegal
- Marquinhos — Brazil
- Lautaro Martínez — Argentina
- Kylian Mbappé — France
- Nuno Mendes — Portugal
- Lionel Messi — Argentina
- João Neves — Portugal
- Michael Olise — France
- Willian Pacho — Ecuador
- Julián Quiñones — Mexico
- Declan Rice — England
- Rodri — Spain
- Fabián Ruiz — Spain
- William Saliba — France
- Ferran Torres — Spain
- Dayot Upamecano — France
- Vinícius Júnior — Brazil
- Vitinha — Portugal

The list is independently reproduced by Manchester City in its report on Erling Haaland's nomination.

The 2026 shortlist is particularly significant because the season included the FIFA World Cup, giving international performances an important place in the award race.

Yamal enters the final stage after helping Spain win the World Cup while also collecting major domestic honours with Barcelona. His numbers — 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 matches — give the 19-year-old a substantial statistical case alongside his team success.

Harry Kane, Mbappé, Rodri and several other nominees also arrive with major achievements from the season, making the field considerably broader than a contest between only one or two established names.

For Messi, the nomination adds another chapter to an already record-setting Ballon d’Or career. He has won the men's award eight times and is now competing for a ninth title after his return to the shortlist.

The nomination also comes shortly after Messi ended his international career. His final Argentina campaign included another World Cup final appearance before Spain defeated Argentina in the tournament's championship match.

Who are the biggest names on the 2026 shortlist?

The list includes Messi, Yamal, Mbappé, Kane, Haaland, Vinícius Júnior, Rodri, Bellingham, Dembélé, Hakimi and several other leading players from European club football and international competition.

Is Lionel Messi still playing football?

Yes.

Messi has retired from Argentina's national team but continues to play club football for Inter Miami. Reuters reported that his first match after the international retirement came for Miami against Atlanta United on September 5, when he provided an assist in a 2–2 draw.

How did Yamal perform during the season?

According to the official Ballon d’Or profile, Yamal played 57 matches, scoring 25 goals and providing 20 assists. He also won the World Cup, Spanish league and Spanish Super Cup with Spain and Barcelona.

When will the winner be announced?

The ceremony is scheduled for October 26, 2026, in London.

It will be the first time the Ballon d’Or ceremony has been held in London. UEFA previously confirmed that the move was designed to mark the award's 70th anniversary and honour its inaugural winner, Englishman Stanley Matthews.

Does the 2026 award include the World Cup?

Yes. The 2026 award cycle follows the 2025–26 football season and includes performances at the 2026 World Cup, which was held during the same award period.

That makes the tournament particularly relevant when assessing players who made a significant impact for their national teams.

Context

The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football in 1956. Since 2024, the award has been co-organised with UEFA.

The 2026 ceremony will be the 70th edition of the prize. UEFA confirmed in May that London would host the event for the first time, with the choice of venue linked to the anniversary and the legacy of Stanley Matthews, the first Ballon d’Or winner.

The shortlist also represents a major return for Messi. His absence from the previous two men's shortlists ended a long period in which he was a regular contender for the award.

Yamal, meanwhile, is competing at the top level of the award while also being eligible for the young-player honour. The official Ballon d’Or website confirms that this is his third nomination for the Young Talent of the Year award, after winning it in 2024 and 2025.

The next major event is the Ballon d’Or ceremony on October 26 in London, when the winner of the men's award and the recipients of the other Ballon d’Or honours will be announced.

The shortlist has now been confirmed, but the winner has not yet been announced. The final decision will determine whether Messi adds a ninth men's Ballon d’Or, whether Yamal becomes the youngest major winner in the modern era, or whether another nominee takes the award.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or race now has its official 30-player field, with established stars such as Messi, Mbappé, Kane and Rodri competing alongside a younger generation led by Yamal.

With the shortlist confirmed and the ceremony less than two months away, attention now shifts to the final stage of the award race and the eventual announcement in London.