Who votes for Ballon d'Or award? What to know about panel voters
The Ballon d'Or, soccer's most prestigious individual award, is decided by a panel of 100 journalists from the top-ranked FIFA nations. Voters rank ten players using a points-based system, considering individual performance, team success, and fair play.
Why it matters
The award is a major cultural touchstone in global sports, and understanding the voting process provides transparency into how the world's best player is determined.
Hear this story The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious award an individual soccer player can win - with both male and female prizes handed out.
The prize, awarded by France Football, typically is handed out in France, but this year's ceremony is taking place in London's Palladium theater in honor of 70th anniversary of Stanley Matthews winning the first edition of the prize.
But who decides the winner? The publication has an expansive voting process that we'll explain here:
The Ballon d'Or is awarded by a panel of 100 journalists, one from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings as of September 2026.
Also covering this story
3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Who will win the Ballon d'Or? Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and why 2026 is the most open - and flawed - race in Golden Ball history
Ballon d'Or: Messi, Yamal and Mbappe among favourites; how the winners are decided
Pundit says Lionel Messi poses threat to Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or hopes
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