The gala starts at 8pm local time at the Palladium Theatre on Argyll Street, and this year’s guest list includes a Real Madrid delegation after two years of empty seats. Yahoo Sports confirmed the shift in position from a report by L’Equipe. It is also the first time the gala has moved out of Paris in its 70-year history.
The last appearance ended in a walkout in principle. Madrid refused to show up for the 2024 ceremony after Vinicius Junior came second to Manchester City midfielder Rodri in a vote the club believed should have gone the Brazilian’s way. A year later the men’s squad again stayed away from the Théâtre du Châtelet, with women’s nominee Caroline Weir, who has since joined Lyon, the club’s only presence on the shortlist that mattered to the Bernabeu.
Four of this year’s 30 nominees for the men’s prize are Madrid players: Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Marc Cucurella, according to the full list published by UEFA. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is on the ten-man shortlist for the Yashin Trophy, and Weir is on the women’s shortlist again.
Dembele defends, Kane and Yamal lead the market
Ousmane Dembele arrives in London as the reigning holder after winning in Paris last year with Paris Saint-Germain, but the bookmakers have moved on. Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal top the market, with the Bayern Munich striker and the Barcelona teenager swapping places in recent weeks.
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Mbappe sits in the chasing group. Foot Mercato, citing L’Equipe, reports that the Madrid delegation decided to attend after the Frenchman’s odds improved sharply in the final week.
A case built on numbers, not trophies
Mbappe’s argument rests on his personal haul. He finished the 2025-26 season as the top scorer in La Liga and in the Champions League, and claimed a second successive Golden Boot at this summer’s World Cup. Al Jazeera notes his 22 World Cup goals now stand as an all-time men’s tournament record, past Miroslav Klose’s 16 and Lionel Messi’s 21.
The team return is thinner. Real Madrid finished second in La Liga behind Barcelona and were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. France lost the World Cup semi-final 2-0 to Spain and the third-place play-off 6-4 to England. No player without a major team trophy has won the Ballon d’Or since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013, also at Real Madrid.
The night in London
The ceremony will be presented by Thierry Henry and Kate Scott, and the men’s trophy is scheduled as the final award. UEFA says the choice of London is a nod to the inaugural 1956 winner, Blackpool and England winger Stanley Matthews.
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Vinicius will walk back into the room this time, and so will the club that stayed away for him.
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