Ballon d'Or unveils list of top 20 to 30 men's best players ahead of ceremony

The Ballon d’Or is unveiling the top 20 to 30 players in the men’s category ahead of the official ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26, 2026.

The players featured on the list include Nuno Mendes, Luis Díaz, Marquinhos, Dayot Upamecano, Bruno Fernandes, Julián Quiñones and William Saliba, among others.

Earlier reports indicate that voters have found it difficult to choose among this year’s nominees, with several candidates presenting compelling cases for winning the accolade.

Mbappé, Kane lead contenders as fans debate who wins 2026 Ballon d’Or

This has raised the possibility of a tie in the voting process, prompting questions about how organisers would separate the candidates under the award’s regulations.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane are among the leading contenders for the award.

For the first time since 2019, the Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held outside Paris. This year’s event is scheduled to take place in London, England, in honour of Stanley Matthews, the inaugural winner of the award.

Ranked at the 23rd place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

Nuno Mendes

@PSG_inside

@selecaoportugal

#ballondor https://t.co/iUEi0sGvAw

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Ranked at the 24th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

@LuisFDiaz19

@FCBayern

@FCFSeleccionCol

#ballondor https://t.co/wm3oBJdBPU

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Ranked at the 25th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

@marquinhos_m5

@PSG_inside

@CBF_Futebol

#ballondor https://t.co/2mcJc5dDCt

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Ranked at the 26th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

Dayot Upamecano

@FCBayern

@equipedefrance

#ballondor https://t.co/lMHcIqgHH4

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Ranked at the 27th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

@B_Fernandes8

@ManUtd

@selecaoportugal

#ballondor https://t.co/RyIVSqt23i

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Ranked at the 28th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

@julian_quiones3

@Alqadsiah

@miseleccionmx

#ballondor https://t.co/AogovWAYEV

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Equally ranked at the 29th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

William Saliba

@Arsenal

@equipedefrance

#ballondor https://t.co/3SGpwwdGe4

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Equally ranked at the 29th place of the 2026 Ballon d’Or

@SMane_Officiel

@AlNassrFC

@AlNassrFC_EN

@Fsfofficielle

@GaindeYi

#ballondor https://t.co/39W2Qg2Niq

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026