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England captain Harry Kane heads into Monday's 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London as the favorite to be named the world's best male footballer, although Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe remain firmly in contention following a season marked by record-breaking performances and major international tournaments.
The 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or, an annual award established by France Football magazine, will take place in England for the first time, honoring the country of its inaugural winner, Stanley Matthews. Kane could also become the first English player to claim the award in 25 years.
The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country last season, helping the German side secure a domestic league and cup double while leading England to the World Cup semifinals.
Despite those achievements, Kane's chances remain uncertain after Bayern and England both fell short in the Champions League and World Cup semifinals, respectively.
Kane acknowledged that winning the Ballon d'Or would represent a major career milestone but said the secrecy surrounding the result had created tension for his family.
He also recognized that keeping the winner under wraps helps attract leading players to the ceremony and increases interest in the announcement.
Yamal, who finished second behind Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele in 2025, enters this year's race with a World Cup winner's medal after Spain secured the title.
However, a hamstring injury cut short the 19-year-old's club season, while Barcelona teammates Rodri and Pau Cubarsi received the World Cup's best player and best young player awards.
Yamal nevertheless remains confident about his chances, arguing that he and Mbappe stand above the rest of the field.
"I honestly think that, as the best in the world, maybe there are two of us, and this year I would deserve it because of what I've won," he said last month.
Mbappe, meanwhile, brings an exceptional individual scoring record despite failing to secure major trophies with Real Madrid or France.
The 27-year-old finished as the leading scorer in Spain's La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup. His 10 goals at the international tournament also took his overall World Cup tally to 22, making him the competition's all-time leading scorer.
The French forward highlighted the significance of surpassing previous World Cup scoring records and made his own preference clear when asked who deserved the Ballon d'Or.
"Who am I voting for? Myself."
The women's award also appears set for a change, with Alexia Putellas leading the race to claim her third Ballon d'Or after previously winning in 2021 and 2022.
Putellas helped Barcelona regain the Women's Champions League title before moving to London City Lionesses, placing her among the leading candidates to end Aitana Bonmati's three-year winning streak.
Her main challenger is former Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor, the Polish striker who scored 11 Champions League goals during the club's successful European campaign.
For both awards, the final results are determined through voting by football journalists, with one representative from each of the 100 highest-ranked nations in FIFA's rankings selecting their top 10 players from a 30-person shortlist.
Players receive points according to their position on each ballot, with the highest-scoring candidate taking home the trophy.
Although the Ballon d'Or carries no direct cash prize, winning can unlock performance bonuses and increase a player's commercial value.
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