The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is underway, with the first nominees announced ahead of the awards ceremony in London on October 26.
Organisers have released the first shortlists, including the coaching, club and goalkeeper categories.
Men’s Coach of the Year
- Mikel Arteta — Arsenal
- Luis de la Fuente — Spain National Team
- Unai Emery — Aston Villa
- Vincent Kompany — Bayern Munich
- Luis Enrique — Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s Coach of the Year
- Jonatan Giráldez — OL Lyonnes
- Andrée Jeglertz — Manchester City Women
- Nils Nielsen — Japan National Team
- Pere Romeu — FC Barcelona Femeni
- Elena Sadiku — Celtic FC Women/BK Häcken
Men’s Club of the Year
- Arsenal
- Bayern Munich
- Bodø/Glimt
- Flamengo
- Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s Club of the Year
- FC Barcelona
- Bayern Munich
- Club América
- Manchester City
- OL Lyonnes
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
- Ann-Katrin Berger — Gotham FC/England
- Cata Coll — FC Barcelona Femeni/Spain
- Hannah Hampton — Chelsea FC/England
- Lorena — Kansas City Current/Brazil
- Ayaka Yamashita — Manchester City Women
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year
- Yassine Bounou — Al-Hilal/Morocco
- Thibaut Courtois — Real Madrid/Belgium
- Joan García — FC Barcelona/Spain
- Gregor Kobel — Borussia Dortmund/Switzerland
- Emiliano Martínez –Aston Villa, Chelsea/Argentina
- Edouard Mendy — Al-Ahli/Senegal
- David Raya –Arsenal/Spain
- Matvey Safonov — Paris Saint-Germain/Russia
- Unai Simón — Athletic Bilbao/Spain
- Vozinha (Josimar Dias) — GD Chaves, Colo-Colo/Cape Verde
More details to follow….
