Ballon d'Or 2026: What Is The Award's Criteria And How Is The Winner Chosen?
The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner is chosen by journalists from top 100 FIFA-ranked countries, who vote from a 30-player shortlist based on strict criteria set by France Football.
- The Ballon d'Or winner is chosen annually by France Football with input from UEFA ambassadors and L'Equipe
- A shortlist of 30 players is created and journalists from top 100 FIFA ranked countries vote for their top 10
- Voting criteria include individual performance, team achievements, and sportsmanship or fair play
As the race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or title heats up, a debate has emerged on social media about what exactly the criteria behind the award are. While Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal feels he should win the Golden Ball because of the sheer number of titles he has won this year, Real Madrid and England forward Kylian Mbappe believes his goal-scoring runs in the Champions League and the FIFA World Cup make him the top contender.
The likes of Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembele, Rodri and Lionel Messi are also among the top candidates for the honour. But how and on what basis is the award given?
How is the Ballon d'Or winner picked?
The award is given annually by French publication France Football. At first, a shortlist of 30 players is created by France Football, with the help of L'Equipe and a few ambassadors from UEFA. Later, journalists all across the world, chosen by France Football, are asked to vote on the basis of strict criteria. Only one journalist per country gets the option to vote, but this opportunity is only granted to the countries that are in the top 100 FIFA rankings.
The 30-man shortlist is shared with each journalist, and they are then asked to list their top 10 players in descending order of merit based on the official criteria.
The player chosen for the No. 1 spot gets 15 points while the last choice gets just one point. The players chosen second, third, fourth, and fifth get 12, 10, 8, 7, and 6 points respectively.
At the end of the day, the points are tallied, and the name of the winner is finalised. In case of a tie, the player with the most first picks is chosen as the winner.
READ |Â Ballon d'Or: Mbappe Scored Goals, Yamal Won Trophies, But Kane Did It AllÂ
What are the criteria for Ballon d'Or voting?
1. Individual Performance: How the player has done on the field, the personal statistics, decisiveness in important moments, and overall impact.
2. Team Achievements: The collective success of the player's club and national teams is also an important factor. The number of trophies won, the impact the player had in winning those trophies, etc. is often crucial in choosing a winner.
3. Class and Fair Play: The player's sportsmanship, on-field behaviour, conduct, and overall ethical standard also have to be considered, especially in cases where two players are neck-and-neck in other factors.
What has to be noted is that the final voting tally is never publicly shared by France Football.
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