Ballon d'Or 2026: Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane lead according to voting source

Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane are reportedly the two main favorites for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, according to the X account The Touchline, which claims to have information on the ranking from votes cast by 100 international journalists, which closed on September 28. The official ceremony, organized by France Football at the Palladium Theatre in London, will take place on October 26.

The source does not specify the order between the two players, but is categorical: “Confirmed: Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane are the two main contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or. The battle for the trophy will be between them alone.”

These revelations should be treated with caution: The Touchline is an unofficial account, and no confirmation has been provided by France Football or UEFA. The credibility of the source therefore remains to be established.

The race to succeed Ousmane Dembélé, the defending champion, had seemed wide open until now. Other names regularly circulate among the contenders: Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembélé himself, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Fabián Ruiz and Rodri. No clear favorite had emerged in the weeks leading up to the close of voting.

If the rumor is confirmed, a Yamal-Kane duel would pit two radically different profiles against each other: the 17-year-old Barcelona winger, the revelation of the season in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, against the Bayern Munich striker, Bundesliga’s top scorer and record goalscorer for the English national team. The official verdict will be delivered on October 26.