Ballon d'Or moves to London as Kane's record season puts him in contention

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will leave its traditional Paris home for London on October 26, with organisers citing the 70th anniversary of the award and a tribute to its inaugural winner, Stanley Matthews, as the reason for the historic venue change.

Organisers confirmed the move in an official statement, noting: “This is a circumstantial and temporary choice, though the increasingly international stature of this prestigious award does leave room to imagine the experience could be repeated elsewhere outside France in the coming years.”

Matthews, who won the FA Cup with Blackpool and made over 800 appearances during a career split largely between Blackpool and Stoke City, claimed the first Ballon d’Or in 1956. He passed away in February 2000 at the age of 85.

The London setting adds an intriguing dimension to England captain Harry Kane’s candidacy. The Bayern Munich striker has produced one of the most prolific individual seasons in European football, scoring 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions as the Bavarian club claimed the Bundesliga title. At 32, Kane could yet strengthen his case further with a strong performance for England at the World Cup.

Kane’s Bayern team-mate Michael Olise is also in contention after being named Bundesliga Player of the Year for the 2025-26 campaign, giving the German club an unusually prominent presence among the frontrunners.

Defending winner Ousmane Dembele, who claimed the prize in September for his performances with Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal — last year’s runner-up — are both expected to feature among the leading candidates again following strong campaigns for their respective clubs.

Declan Rice represents another English contender after playing a central role in Arsenal’s Premier League title win, the club’s first top-flight championship in 22 years.