The 2026 Ballon d’Or gala is scheduled for Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium Theatre in London, as soccer’s most prestigious individual awards celebrate their 70th anniversary. This edition marks a historic change of scenery.
The choice of venue gives significance beyond the competition for individual honors. The ceremony will begin at 4 PM ET, bringing together some of the biggest names in the sport for one of the most anticipated nights.
Created by France Football in 1956 and co-organized with UEFA since 2024, the award will honor its origins by paying tribute to Stanley Matthews, the English forward who won the inaugural Ballon d’Or.
What time does the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony start?
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4 PM ET on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium Theatre in London, England. The event will start at 8 PM GMT and is expected to last approximately two hours.
Lionel Messi speaks to the audience after receiving the Ballon d’or in 2015 (Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
For viewers in the United States, the ceremony will begin at different times depending on their time zone:
- Eastern Time (ET): 4 PM
- Central Time (CT): 3 PM
- Mountain Time (MT): 2 PM
- Pacific Time (PT): 1 PM
The red carpet will begin at 2 PM ET (11 AM PT), giving fans a chance to follow the players’ arrivals and interviews. The event is scheduled to run until 6 PM ET, with the winners’ press conference expected to start at 6:30 PM ET.
Who is hosting the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony?
Thierry Henry and Kate Scott will host the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. The announcement was confirmed by the Ballon d’Or’s official website on October 19, with the pair set to lead the 70th edition of the awards.
Henry, the former France and Arsenal striker, will make his debut as a host of the ceremony. He received nine Ballon d’Or nominations during his playing career and finished second in 2003.
His career highlights include winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup with France and the 2009 UEFA Champions League with Barcelona. His connection to London, where he became an Arsenal legend, adds a personal dimension to his role.
Scott, meanwhile, returns to the ceremony after co-hosting the 2025 edition in Paris alongside Ruud Gullit. The British sports journalist has also presented previous Ballon d’Or ceremonies in 2014 and 2015, making the 2026 gala her fourth appearance as a host.
She is familiar to American soccer audiences through her work covering the UEFA Champions League for CBS Sports, where she regularly works alongside Henry.
Key takeaways
- The 2026 Ballon d’Or gala takes place Monday, October 26, at London Palladium Theatre.
- The red carpet begins at 2 PM ET, ahead of the two-hour ceremony.
- Thierry Henry and Kate Scott will hostthe 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony.
