2026 Ballon d’Or: Messi, Dembélé, Mbappé, Yamal, Haaland Make 30-Man Shortlist

The complete 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has been unveiled, with defending champion Ousmane Dembélé and seven-time winner Lionel Messi among the leading names nominated for the prestigious individual award.

The shortlist features several of the biggest stars in world football following their performances during the 2025/26 season.

Dembélé returns as the defending winner, while Messi has also been included as he bids for a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or.

Other prominent nominees include Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Jr., Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Achraf Hakimi.

The list also features Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal defender William Saliba, Liverpool forward Luis Díaz and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha.

The nominees were selected based on their performances during the 2025/26 campaign, with factors including individual displays, consistency and team success taken into consideration.

The full 30-man shortlist is:

The complete player list was not included in the material provided. If you send the names, I can format all 30 nominees neatly for publication.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or winner will be announced at the awards ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26.

The ceremony will bring together the leading performers from the past season, with the winner succeeding Dembélé as the recipient of football’s most prestigious individual honour.