Ballon d'Or ceremony moves to London Palladium for 70th edition
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The gist
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is set for October 26 at London's Palladium, hosted by Kate Scott and Thierry Henry.
It is the first time in 70 years the award event leaves France.
Background
The Ballon d'Or is football's annual individual award, created in 1956 by France Football, the French magazine that still presents it. The ceremony has traditionally been held in Paris, often at the Theatre du Chatelet, but this year moves to England to mark the 70th anniversary of Sir Stanley Matthews, the English winger who won the inaugural award in 1956. The award is now judged on last season rather than the calendar year, covering August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026.
How it unfolded
- Oct 19, 2026UEFA publishes ceremony details: the London Palladium Theatre, starting 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET on Monday 26 October.
- Oct 20, 2026Sports Illustrated reports organizers named CBS Sports duo Kate Scott and Thierry Henry as hosts, with a red carpet at 2 p.m. ET and the ceremony at 4 p.m. ET.
- Oct 21, 2026The National reports the ceremony will be at the London Palladium on October 26, the first time the event has left France in its 70-year history.
- Oct 23, 2026The Standard reports players are expected to arrive from around 6pm BST, with the ceremony at approximately 8pm and timings subject to change.
- Oct 26, 2026The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled at the London Palladium, marking the 70th edition.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- UEFA and organizers say the ceremony starts at 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET at the London Palladium, hosted by Thierry Henry and Kate Scott.
- Caution
- The Standard and Yahoo Sports note the exact timings are subject to change, with arrivals from around 6pm BST and the ceremony roughly 8pm.
Still unverified
The exact ceremony timings are subject to change, according to The Standard and Yahoo Sports.