Ballon d'Or 2026 in Malaysia time: Kane and Yamal lead the race as London hosts the gala for the first time

The 2026 Ballon d'Or will be presented on Monday 26 October at the London Palladium. It is the first time the ceremony has been held in London, and it marks 70 years of the award. Proceedings start at 8pm UK time, which is 4am on Tuesday 27 October in Malaysia. Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal are seen as the main contenders in the men's race. Alexia Putellas is the leading name in the women's vote. Fans in Malaysia will have to get up very early to see who wins, only a day after watching El Clasico at a similar hour.

When and how to watch

The ceremony is hosted by Kate Scott and Thierry Henry. Organisers say it will be streamed free on the official Ballon d'Or website and on DAZN, and beIN Sports also has coverage in some regions. The UK changes its clocks on Sunday 25 October, so the 8pm start is eight hours behind Malaysia, which puts it at 4am on Tuesday.

The choice of London is also a tribute to Stanley Matthews, the Blackpool and England winger who won the first Ballon d'Or in 1956.

The men's contenders

Sky Sports reports that Kane has overtaken Yamal as the favourite. The Bayern Munich and England striker is one of four Bayern nominees. Yamal won the young player award last year and is now a central figure for Barcelona. Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe and several Paris Saint-Germain players are also considered contenders. Last year's winner, Ousmane Dembele, is on the 30-man list again.

PSG have ten nominees, more than any other club. Bayern and Real Madrid have four each. Lionel Messi is nominated but is seen as an outsider. Cristiano Ronaldo is not on the shortlist. Premier League nominees include Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes and Arsenal's Declan Rice, Gabriel and William Saliba.

The women's award

In the women's vote, Alexia Putellas is reported to be the clear favourite. The Spain midfielder now plays for London City Lionesses. Ewa Pajor of Barcelona is one of her closest challengers. Aitana Bonmati won the 2025 award. Barcelona have six women's nominees and Manchester City have five, including Khadija Shaw and Japan's Yui Hasegawa.

Other prizes and how voting works

Awards will also be given for the best young players, goalkeepers, coaches, strikers and clubs in the men's and women's game, along with the Socrates Award for humanitarian work. Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, Bayern's Vincent Kompany and PSG's Luis Enrique are among the men's coach nominees.

The voting period ran from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026, so it includes the 2026 World Cup. Journalists from the top 100 nations in the FIFA men's ranking each rank ten players from the men's shortlist. For the women's award, journalists from the top 50 nations do the same. Points are awarded from 15 for first place down to 1 for tenth. The criteria are individual performance first, then team success and trophies, then fair play.

Key takeaways

• The Ballon d'Or ceremony starts at 8pm on Monday 26 October in London, which is 4am on Tuesday 27 October in Malaysia.
• Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal lead the men's race, with Mbappe, Olise and PSG players also in contention.
• Alexia Putellas is reported to be the favourite for the women's award.
• The voting period covered 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026, including the World Cup.

FAQ

What time is the Ballon d'Or 2026 in Malaysia? The ceremony starts at 8pm UK time on Monday 26 October, which is 4am on Tuesday 27 October in Malaysia.

Who won the Ballon d'Or in 2025? Ousmane Dembele of PSG and France won the men's award, and Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Spain won the women's award.

How is the Ballon d'Or winner decided? A panel of journalists, one from each qualifying country, ranks ten players from the 30-player shortlist. Individual performance counts most, followed by team success and fair play.

Sources: Sky Sports, The National, TNT Sports, DAZN