Ballon d’Or 2026 Club of the Year nominees: PSG, Arsenal and Bayern Munich lead the men's shortlist for prestigious awards as Barcelona returns to the spotlight
The 2026 Ballon d’Or Club of the Year nominees have been announced, featuring top European football clubs like PSG, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich. The awards recognize excellence in both men's and women's professional football across the continent.
Why it matters
These awards highlight the shifting power dynamics in elite European football and celebrate the highest levels of athletic achievement.
The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or honors has officially heated up with the unveiling of the nominees for the prestigious Club of the Year awards. Back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain are looking to defend their men's crown against a resurgent Arsenal and a dominant Bayern Munich side, while a treble-winning Barcelona enter the women's category on a fierce mission to reclaim their throne.
Paris Saint-Germain have firmly established themselves as the team to beat on the global stage, and they once again find themselves at the forefront of the Ballon d’Or conversation. After securing the 2025 award following their maiden European triumph, the French giants are aiming to become back-to-back winners of the Men’s Club of the Year trophy following their second Champions League trophy win.
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