Ballon d'Or 2026: Live Streaming, Time In IST, Top Contenders. All You Need To Know

One of the most anticipated Ballon d'Or ceremonies has arrived. For the first time in the tournament's history, the Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held in London, the place where Harry Kane, one of the top contenders for the honour, grew up and took his first steps as a professional footballer. Competing with him for the top spot on the podium are Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe. The likes of Lionel Messi, Michael Olise, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Jude Bellingham, etc. who are also competing for the Golden Ball and the possibility of one of them securing the top prize can't be completely ruled out.

This year's Ballon d'Or race has unarguably been described as one that will be most closely fought. Fans and pundits don't expect a lot of difference in the voting percentages this time.

In terms of goalscoring statistics, Mbappe leads the shout, having won the World Cup, La Liga and Champions League Golden Boots. However, he didn't win a single trophy.

Yamal, on the other hand, won two major trophies -- La Liga with Barcelona and the FIFA World Cup with Spain. However, he wasn't as influential for Spain in the World Cup as one expected him to be.

Kane, on the other hand, arguably enjoyed the best of both worlds. He scored a whopping 73 goals for club and country, a feat only bettered by Lionel Messi in the year 2012. He won the domestic treble with Bayern Munich and also reached the semifinals of the Champions League and the World Cup.

For many, Kane is the favourite to win the title but there are those who weigh Yamal and Mbappe's chances higher too. Lionel Messi, having reached the World Cup final, isn't far behind in the race too.

Where will the Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony be held?

The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place at the London Palladium. The event has been moved to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the English legend who won the very first Ballon d'Or in 1956.

What time will the Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony start?

The Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony is expected to start at 1:30 AM IST (October 27, 2026).

How to watch live telecast of Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony?

The television broadcast of Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony in India hasn't been confirmed yet.

How to watch the live streaming of Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony?

The Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony will be streamed live on DAZN India for free. Live coverage will also be available on the Ballon d'Or website.

Who all are contending for the men's Ballon d'Or 2026 award?

The top contenders for the men's Ballon d'Or 2026 are: Jude Bellingham, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Ousmane Dembele, Luis Diaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel, Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Yamal, Sadio Mane, Marquinhos, Lautaro Martinez, Mbappe, Nuno Mendes, Messi, Joao Neves, Michael Olise, Willian Pacho, Julian Quinones, Declan Rice, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, William Saliba, Ferran Torres, Dayot Upamecano, Vinicius Jr and Vitinha.

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