The 2026 Ballon d'Or moves to London, PSG denied its presence
In three days, the London Palladium will host the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, which is being held this year in London rather than Paris. With 72 hours left until the much‑awaited verdict, no names have yet leaked to the press, and several members of Paris Saint‑Germain will not be able to attend.
Relocation of the ceremony to London
The move of the Ballon d’Or award from the French capital to the British capital marks a symbolic break. Last year, the evening was held on the same night as a clash between Paris Saint‑Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, highlighting the proximity between the major football events.
While the favorites are plentiful, the lack of any official indication makes it difficult to sketch a clear trend. Suspense hangs over the 30 finalists, with several PSG players among the contenders.
PSG absences from the ceremony
The postponement of the Ligue 1 8ᵉ‑round match between Paris Saint‑Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, originally scheduled for Sunday evening, was moved to Monday evening by the LFP. The kickoff is set for 20h30 at the Parc des Princes, which prevents most players from traveling to London.
Ballon d'Or forces PSG to postpone their clash with Lyon
Among the absentees, Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes, all named among the 30 finalists but injured, will not be able to travel despite the theoretical possibility of doing so.
The club will also have to do without Matvey Safonov, goalkeeper selected among the best, Warren Zaïre‑Emery, chosen as the young talent of the year, as well as Achraf Hakimi, Joao Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Vitinha.
Luis Enrique, nominated for the best manager award, will rely on the remaining players to face OL at the same time, highlighting the stakes of the duel between two co‑leaders of the league.
Ballon d’Or 2026: PSG‑OL report blocks eight players in London
It remains uncertain whether president Nasser Al‑Khelaïfi will be present in Paris or London, a question that illustrates the impact of the Ballon d’Or relocation on French football.