The Ballon d’Or Féminin 2026 will be presented at the London Palladium on Monday 26 October, and for the first time since 2022 it will not go to Aitana Bonmatí. The three-time reigning winner is missing from the 30-player shortlist after breaking her leg last season, so a new name will join the roll of honour, according to UEFA.
Alexia Putellas leads the contenders after a four-trophy season with Barcelona. However, Ewa Pajor, Khadija Shaw and Alessia Russo all have strong cases.
When and Where to Watch the Ballon d’Or Féminin 2026
The ceremony starts at 8pm in London, which is 8pm GMT, 9pm WAT and 4pm ET, Goal reported. UK clocks go back the day before, so note that some listings still show BST.
It will stream free worldwide on DAZN and ballondor.com, with a few countries showing it on local channels. Kate Scott and Thierry Henry will host.
London is hosting for the first time to mark the award’s 70th edition and to honour its first winner, Stanley Matthews, UEFA said.
Why Bonmatí Is Missing
Bonmatí broke her left fibula in a training collision with Spain at the end of November 2025, Al Jazeera reported. She had surgery and missed about five months, returning in May.
That injury ruled her out of most of the voting period, which ran from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026. As a result, she misses the shortlist for the first time in her career.
The Favourite: Alexia Putellas
Putellas won the award in 2021 and 2022, and she could become only the second woman to win it three times, after Bonmatí. She was named the 2025–26 Women’s Champions League Player of the Season after seven goals and seven assists, according to UEFA.
In total, she scored 20 goals as Barcelona won the league, both domestic cups and the Champions League. Then, in July, she left the club after 14 years to join London City Lionesses, ITV News reported.
On a prediction market, she was a heavy favourite in September, according to lines.com. Read more about her new club in our London City Lionesses report.
The Main Challengers
- Ewa Pajor (Barcelona, Poland): scored 32 goals in all competitions, including both in Barcelona’s 4–0 Champions League final win over OL Lyonnes, according to the final’s match record.
- Khadija Shaw (Manchester City, Jamaica): won a third straight WSL Golden Boot with 21 goals as City won their first league and FA Cup double, Manchester City said.
- Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England): scored 24 goals and won the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup after finishing third in 2025.
- Clàudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain): topped the Liga F scoring chart with 21 goals.
- Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes, Haiti): helped Lyon win a domestic treble and reach the Champions League final.
In addition, Pernille Harder scored 28 goals for treble winners Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, runner-up last year Mariona Caldentey is nominated again after a quieter season at Arsenal.
Africa’s Ballon d’Or Féminin 2026 Hopes
Two African stars are on the list. Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga led her country to the WAFCON 2026 final on their debut and shared the Golden Boot, CAF reported.
Zambia’s Barbra Banda also starred in Morocco, scoring four goals in a 6–0 win over Egypt, Citizen Digital reported. She holds the best African finish so far, 12th in 2024.
No African woman has ever won or finished in the top three. However, Chawinga’s WAFCON run gives her a real chance of a career-best finish. See where they rank in our best women footballers list.
How the Ballon d’Or Féminin 2026 Is Decided
One journalist from each of the top 50 countries in FIFA’s women’s ranking votes, according to the official rules. Each juror ranks 10 players, with 15 points for first place down to one point for 10th.
The jury judges three things in order: individual performances, team performances and titles, and class and fair play.
The Other Women’s Awards
The night also includes these awards:
- Kopa Trophy (best young player): Veerle Buurman, Vicky López, Felicia Schröder, Clara Serrajordi and Lily Yohannes.
- Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper): Ann-Katrin Berger, Cata Coll, Hannah Hampton, Lorena and Ayaka Yamashita.
- Coach of the Year: Jonatan Giráldez, Andrée Jeglertz, Nils Nielsen, Pere Romeu and Elena Sadiku.
- Club of the Year: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Club América, Manchester City and OL Lyonnes.
Past Winners
Here are the previous winners of the award, which began in 2018:
- 2018: Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Lyon)
- 2019: Megan Rapinoe (USA, Reign FC)
- 2020: Not awarded
- 2021 and 2022: Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
- 2023, 2024 and 2025: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
We will report live on the winner on Monday night. Who gets your vote? Tell us in the comments.
