%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
What Time Is the 2026 Ballon d’Or—and How to Watch on TV or Stream for Free?
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is almost here, with plenty of uncertainty surrounding the men’s top prize.
Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal have emerged as the leading contenders, and each has a strong case for taking home the prestigious trophy. With the race so finely balanced, the winner may not be clear right until the final announcement.
There are plenty of other awards to look forward to, too, including the Ballon d’Or Féminin, the Johan Cruyff Trophy for coaches, the Kopa Trophy for young players and several other honors celebrating the best in soccer.
Want to catch all the action? Here’s everything you need to know about watching the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony on TV and via live stream.
When Does the 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony Begin?
The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place on Oct. 26, 2026, at the London Palladium Theatre in London, England.
The event is scheduled to begin at around 4 p.m. ET / 8 p.m GMT, with players, managers and other high-profile figures walking the red carpet a couple of hours beforehand.
• EXPLAINED: How Does Ballon d’Or Voting Work? 2026 Nominees and Format
What Time Will the Ballon d’Or Winner Be Announced?
The ceremony itself will not get underway until 4 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. GMT, with the first award to be announced five minutes later.
Awards will then be staggered until the main Ballon d’Or prizes are announced at 5:36 p.m. ET / 9:36 p.m. GMT and 5:46 p.m. ET / 9:46p.m. GMT—the women’s will be presented ten minutes before confirmation of the the men’s winner.
The full Ballon d’Or ranking countdown will actually commence online at 12 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. GMT.
Award | Presentation Time |
|---|---|
Kopa Trophy—Men’s and Women’s | 4:05 p.m. ET / 8:05 p.m. GMT |
People's Choice Award | 4:17 p.m. ET / 8:17 p.m. GMT |
Coach of the Year—Men’s and Women’s | 4:23 p.m. ET / 8:23 p.m. GMT |
Yashin Trophy—Men’s and Women’s | 4:43 p.m. ET / 8:43 p.m. GMT |
Gerd Muller Award—Men’s and Women’s | 4:52 p.m. ET / 8:52 p.m. GMT |
Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year | 4:59 p.m. ET / 8:59 p.m. GMT |
Socrates Award | 5:15 p.m. ET / 9:15 p.m. GMT |
Ballon d'Or Féminin | 5:36 p.m. ET / 9.36 p.m. GMT |
Ballon d'Or | 5:46 p.m. ET / 9:46 p.m. GMT |
How to Watch the 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony On TV, Live Stream
In most countries, fans can watch the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony live for free on DAZN. Although viewers will need to create an account, a paid subscription is not required to access the broadcast.
Some countries will also have local broadcasting options. In France, L’Équipe TV will show the ceremony via their website and mobile app.
In Spain, Telefónica will provide coverage of the ceremony.
Below is the full list of broadcasters by country.
Full List of Ballon d’Or Broadcast Partners
Country/Territory | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
Armenia | FAST Media |
Bulgaria | bTV |
Czechia, Slovakia | TV Nova |
France | L’Équipe TV |
Georgia | Setanta Sports/Silknet |
Hungary | RTL Hungary |
Norway | TV2 |
Romania | Clever Media |
Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan & Central Asia | Quest Media |
Spain | Telefónica |
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Barnaby Lane, better known as Barney, is a soccer writer for SI FC. With nearly a decade of experience in the industry, he has worked for a range of household-name publications in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and has interviewed some of the world’s biggest athletes—from Usain Bolt and Rafael Nadal to Christian Pulisic (though his favorite interview remains Adebayo Akinfenwa). Barney specializes in Premier League soccer, covering everything from the nostalgia of years gone by to the modern, vastly different landscape of today’s game. He also has experience reporting on La Liga and Major League Soccer, the latter of which he developed a particular affinity for during his university days at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.