Ballon d'Or 2026: Lamine Yamal charters private jet to London as Barcelona mobilizes

Lamine Yamal has booked a private jet to travel to London with his family and close circle ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for Monday, according to Spanish radio Cope. FC Barcelona has chartered a second aircraft to allow a club delegation to make the trip.

The information, revealed Thursday, fuels speculation about the winner’s identity. Officially, no one is supposed to know the verdict before the London evening. But the mobilization of the Yamal camp and Barcelona stands out against the usual discretion of non-favored contenders.

Last year, the Catalan prodigy had already organized a party in Paris for his entourage, anticipating a victory that ultimately did not materialize: he finished second with 1,059 points, far behind Ousmane Dembélé and his 1,380 points.

This season’s record plays in his favor. Yamal was one of the central figures in Spain’s World Cup triumph, and his level of play at FC Barcelona has regularly placed his name at the top of predictions. Competition remains dense, however: defending champion Dembélé, his Paris teammates Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Rodri all figure on the list of serious contenders.

In recent days, Harry Kane’s name had circulated insistently, fueling suspense that the mobilization organized by the Barcelona side seems, at least symbolically, to want to dispel.