When is the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony? UEFA and France Football locked Monday, October 26, 2026 in London — the 70th edition and first gala outside Paris, honouring Stanley Matthews.
Current target date: Monday, October 26, 2026 (Ceremony night). We update this page when Ballon dor publishes schedule changes.
Ballon d'Or 2026 is Monday, October 26 in London — first ceremony outside Paris for the 70th anniversary / Matthews tribute. Temporary relocation; Châtelet Paris is not the 2026 venue. ≠ FIFA The Best.
Ceremony night
Monday, October 26, 2026
October 26, 2026 — the Ballon d'Or leaves Paris for London
The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony is locked for Monday, October 26, 2026, in London. UEFA and France Football announced the city move explicitly: first time the gala sits outside Paris, timed to the anniversary of Stanley Matthews’ 1956 win.
Track Oct 26 for the men’s and women’s Ballon d'Or night — not a Paris Châtelet stub, and not the July World Cup final. Exact London venue and start time follow later; recent years sat around early evening UK time with a red carpet ahead of the show.
Confirmed: Oct 26 London / 70th edition — not Châtelet Paris, not FIFA The Best, not a permanent move
Confirmed: October 26, 2026; London host city; 70th Ballon d'Or; France Football + UEFA; Matthews anniversary framing. Not confirmed as Théâtre du Châtelet, as a forever England rotation, or as bundled with FIFA The Best. Fake “moved to Madrid Bernabéu gala” stubs invent a corridor.
From Matthews 1956 to a one-year London anniversary gala
- 1956 — Stanley Matthews wins the first Ballon d'Or.
- 2019–2025 — modern Paris chapter centered on Théâtre du Châtelet.
- 2024 onward — UEFA co-organises with France Football.
- 2025 winners — Ousmane Dembélé (men) and Aitana Bonmatí (women) leave Paris as defending champions into the 2026 race.
- Oct 26 2026 — 70th ceremony in London; organisers signal a temporary relocation.
Who this Monday night actually changes the calendar for
Club PR, national-team media, and fantasy-debate accounts need the London date — World Cup 2026 form will feed the argument, but the trophy is handed on Oct 26, not on final whistle in North America.
Travel and hospitality buyers should wait for the London venue drop before locking hotels near Châtelet. Paris muscle-memory bookings are the wrong city for this anniversary year.
After 70 years the gala finally leaves Paris — London hosts once to honour Matthews, not to replace France forever
Every Ballon d'Or ceremony fans remember lived in Paris. October 26, 2026 breaks that streak on purpose: the 70th edition relocates to London as a tribute to inaugural winner Stanley Matthews, while France Football and UEFA still brand the night as temporary. That single fact kills a generation of “always Châtelet in late October” SEO copy.
Honest pages keep Monday Oct 26, London (venue TBA), separate FIFA The Best, and refuse to sell a permanent English home until organisers say so.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this release date.
1When is the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony?
Monday, October 26, 2026, in London. UEFA and France Football confirmed the date and host city for the 70th edition — the first Ballon d'Or gala staged outside Paris in the award’s history.
2Is it still at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris?
No. The Châtelet (Paris home since 2019) is not the 2026 venue. London hosts for one anniversary year; organisers have framed the relocation as temporary, with Paris expected to return afterward. The exact London hall was still TBA at announcement.
3Why London?
The 70th edition honours Sir Stanley Matthews, the English forward who won the first Ballon d'Or in 1956. France Football (L'Équipe Group) still presents the awards; UEFA has co-organised since 2024.
4Is this the same as FIFA The Best?
No. The Ballon d'Or is France Football’s award (journalists’ vote tradition). FIFA The Best is a separate FIFA ceremony on its own calendar. Don’t merge nominee lists or broadcast nights.
Explore more hubs
Jump into another category — anime, games, movies, sport, and events calendars.