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The British capital, London, hosts the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony on Monday evening, in its 70th edition, amid anticipation for the announcement of the winners of the most prominent individual awards in world football.
The ceremony will be held at the "London Palladium" theater at 8:00 PM GMT, 11:00 PM Jordan time, marking the first time London has hosted this event, which began in 1956.
The ceremony will be presented by former French football star Thierry Henry and sports broadcaster Kate Scott, while the program includes artistic segments performed by singers Jorja Smith and French Montana.
A number of the most prominent football stars are competing for the men's Ballon d'Or, led by England's Harry Kane, Spain's Lamine Yamal, and France's Kylian Mbappé, alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi and France's Ousmane Dembélé, the winner of the 2025 edition.
Estimates published by British media indicate that Kane is leading the race for nominations, with competition from Yamal and Mbappé, with the ranking of candidates and the winner of the award to be decided during the ceremony.
The event will also see the announcement of the winner of the Women's Ballon d'Or, in addition to awards for the best young talents, best goalkeepers, coaches, and clubs in both men's and women's categories, as well as the Socrates Award dedicated to humanitarian and social initiatives.
This year's ceremony coincides with the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Ballon d'Or, presented by "France Football" magazine, in partnership with UEFA since 2024.
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