Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the powerhouse that dominated both the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League and France’s Ligue 1 in the 2025-26 season, has produced an impressive ten candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
France Football unveiled the list of 30 nominees for the prestigious 2026 Ballon d’Or on Wednesday, based on performances from the 2025-26 campaign. The winner is set to be announced on October 26.
PSG, fresh off clinching the Ligue 1 title and securing back-to-back UEFA Champions League triumphs last season, has put forward a total of ten players for consideration, one more than their nine nominees from the previous year.
The star-studded list of nominees includes last year’s Ballon d’Or recipient Ousmane Dembélé, alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, Nuno Mendes, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, and summer signing Ferran Torres.
Bayern Munich, who completed the domestic double by winning both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, sees Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, Michael Olise, and Dayot Upamecano among the nominees.
The list also features a who’s who of Europe’s top leagues, including Barcelona’s Rodri, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsi; Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius; Arsenal’s Declan Rice and William Saliba; and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez.
The global reach of soccer talent is evident with the inclusion of Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, USA), Sadio Mané (Al Nassr), and Julián Quiñones (Al Qadisiyah, Saudi Arabia).
Spain’s national team, fresh off their triumph in the 2026 North American World Cup, boasts six nominees, including standouts Rodri, Lamine Yamal, and Marc Cucurella.
With such a star-studded field, the race for the Ballon d’Or promises to be intensely competitive. Leading contenders include Rodri, who spearheaded Spain’s World Cup victory and claimed the Golden Ball; Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, instrumental in PSG’s back-to-back Champions League titles; and Harry Kane, who found the back of the net an astounding 73 times last season.
The Coach of the Year category features an equally impressive lineup, including Spain’s World Cup-winning manager Luis de la Fuente, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany, and PSG’s Luis Enrique.
