The list is now official. The 30 players shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d'Or were revealed this Tuesday, September 8th. Ousmane Dembélé , who won the award in 2025, is indeed included to defend his trophy. Kylian Mbappé , Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi , Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Rodri, Erling Haaland , and Vinícius Jr. are also among the nominees, a selection notable for the presence of nine PSG players and five Frenchmen.
The reveal was particularly anticipated after Monday's announcement of the date for the publication of the 30 nominees and the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony . The trophy will be awarded on Monday, October 26th in London , a first for the ceremony.
Dembélé is indeed a candidate to succeed himself
Ousmane Dembélé can therefore achieve the double. Winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or after his immense season with Paris Saint-Germain , the French striker is logically among the 30 shortlisted.
A few hours before the announcement, Dembélé had given his own top 3 for the 2026 Ballon d'Or , without mentioning himself : "My top 3? Kvara, Harry Kane and I think Kylian Mbappé."
The Frenchman had above all affirmed his conviction that the award would remain with PSG: "I don't think this trophy is up for grabs. I think it will stay in the hands of a PSG player."
The 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or
The full list is made up of Jude Bellingham , Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Ousmane Dembélé, Luis Díaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel Magalhães, Erling Haaland , Achraf Hakimi , Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lamine Yamal, Sadio Mané, Marquinhos, Lautaro Martínez, Kylian Mbappé, Nuno Mendes, Lionel Messi, João Neves, Michael Olise , Willian Pacho, Julián Quiñones, Declan Rice, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, William Saliba, Ferran Torres, Dayot Upamecano, Vinícius Jr and Vitinha.
Several absences are also noted. Raphinha, Désiré Doué, Pedri and Julián Álvarez are among those not included in the 30-man squad.
Nine PSG players, equaling the record
Paris Saint-Germain is still omnipresent. Nine players who wore the Parisian jersey during the 2025-2026 season were selected: Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi , Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha.
PSG thus equals its own record set during the 2025 edition. A massive representation after another season at the top, concluded by a second consecutive Champions League title.
Dembélé is therefore not the only Parisian likely to finish very high in the rankings. Kvaratskhelia is notably cited among the most serious candidates. Michel Platini recently explained that he was putting "a small bet" on the Georgian.
Regarding Kylian Mbappé, the three-time Ballon d'Or winner had summarized the problem posed by the Frenchman's lack of a team title:
"Kylian had a fantastic season, he was top scorer everywhere, unfortunately they'll say he didn't win anything."
Five Frenchmen among the 30
France has five representatives: Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise , William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano.
Dembélé is defending his title. Mbappé arrives with impressive individual statistics but no team trophy this season. Olise has been a key player for Bayern Munich , while Saliba and Upamecano represent the French defenders in the squad.
The Mbappé case will inevitably be scrutinized. The captain of the French national team has just fully endorsed his candidacy for the Ballon d'Or : "I still consider myself the best player in the world."
He also explained: "Many people, when they see me in the street, talk to me about the Ballon d'Or and that's very positive."
Messi and Rodri are making their return
Two former winners return to the 30-man squad: Lionel Messi and Rodri. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, rejoins the team after his performance with Argentina at the 2026 World Cup. The rules do not require players to play for a European club to be eligible for the trophy.
Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, also makes his return. The Spaniard is one of six Spanish World Cup champions present, along with Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Lamine Yamal, Fabián Ruiz, and Ferran Torres . Spain is the most represented nationality, ahead of France.
Sadio Mané and Julián Quiñones among the surprises
The list also includes two less expected names: Sadio Mané and Julián Quiñones. The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich striker, now at Al-Nassr, thus returns to the 30-man shortlist. Mexican Julián Quiñones, who plays for Al-Qadsiah, also receives a nomination after a season and a World Cup that allowed him to stand out. Their presence confirms the importance of the 2026 World Cup in the creation of this list, since the entire 2025-2026 season, including the World Cup, is taken into account.
Kane remains one of the most serious candidates
Harry Kane is also unsurprisingly among the 30. The Bayern Munich striker has racked up goals throughout the season and was already at the top of the early predictions after the World Cup. Harry Kane notably topped the bookmakers' odds ahead of Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi.
These odds obviously have no value in the official vote, but they illustrate the openness of the race before the journalists' vote.
Yamal, Kvaratskhelia, Mbappé, Kane, Dembélé: a very open race
Lamine Yamal has the argument of winning the World Cup with Spain. Kvaratskhelia can point to the trophies he won with PSG. Harry Kane boasts impressive statistics. Mbappé racked up goals but finished without a trophy. Dembélé, finally, defends a Ballon d'Or he won just a year earlier.
Erling Haaland, Michael Olise, Rodri, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz and Lionel Messi complete a list where no player seems to have an undeniable advantage.
The Ballon d'Or will be awarded on October 26 in London.
The answer will come on Monday, October 26. For the first time, the Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place in London, not Paris. This change of venue comes 70 years after the first Ballon d'Or was won in 1956 by Englishman Stanley Matthews. The exact location of the ceremony has not yet been announced.
The winner will be chosen by an international jury of journalists representing the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. Each voter will rank ten players from among the 30. Individual performances are the primary criterion, followed by team performances and achievements, then class and fair play.
Ousmane Dembélé now officially knows his 29 competitors. On October 26, the Frenchman will find out if he retains his Ballon d'Or or if he must relinquish his trophy to Mbappé, Kane, Yamal, Kvaratskhelia, Messi, or one of the other nominees.
