Ballon d'Or 2026: Kane leads predictions before London's awards ceremony

The 70th Ballon d'Or brings the awards ceremony to the London Palladium on October 26. The men's and women's awards recognise the best players of the 2025-2026 season, according to Adda247 Current Affairs.

The move is part of this edition's significance. BirGün reported that the ceremony is being held in England's capital for the first time, marking the award's 70th year.

On October 23, CNN Brasil reported that the ceremony would take place on Monday, October 26, starting at 17:00 Brasília time at the London Palladium Theatre.

By October 25, attention was turning to the nominees. La Nacion reported that Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martínez were among the 30 candidates, while assessing Messi as the only one of those two with a realistic chance of winning.

The previews did not all agree on the date. El Colombiano listed Monday, October 25, while CNN Brasil and La Nacion placed the ceremony on October 26.

On October 26, the prediction coverage centred increasingly on Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. CBS Sports published its Golazo Network panel's voting predictions, while Al Jazeera also focused its forecast on those three players. The supplied summaries do not reveal either outlet's chosen winner.

That day, Sky Sports described Kane as the odds-on favourite, while suggesting the result could be one of the tightest in recent history. Il Post was more cautious, reporting considerable uncertainty and raising the possibility that someone outside the leading trio could win.

Kane has the clearest favourite's billing in the betting coverage, but that is not an award result. Fanpage also singled him out among the three leading names, while Times of India Top Stories continued to include Messi among the contenders, citing his World Cup performances.

The decision itself is no longer being shaped by these predictions. L'Équipe reported on October 26 that voting had closed several weeks earlier. None of the supplied coverage reports an announced winner.

The next development is the announcement at the London ceremony: whether Kane's favourite status translates into the award, or whether Yamal, Mbappé or another nominee wins. The uncertainty described by Il Post remains unresolved in the available reporting.

For viewers using the start time in CNN Brasil, 17:00 is Brasília time, not London time. The supplied summaries do not identify a confirmed broadcaster for viewers in France or Britain.