Ballon d’Or winner kept secret as Mbappe, Yamal, Kane and Dembele vie for award

The identity of the 70th Ballon d’Or winner will remain unknown until Monday evening’s ceremony at the London Palladium, with Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembele among the leading contenders.

The 2026 event will be held in London for the first time, rather than at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Despite the intense interest from players, agents, media officials and even reception staff, only about five people are believed to know the result.

Pascal Ferre, the former president of the Ballon d’Or, told RMC that organisers stopped informing winners before the ceremony in 2024.

“Since 2024, winners have no longer been told about their fate before the ceremony, and they are all treated equally,” he said. “When they arrive at the venue in London, none of them will be able to raise their arms before the others because they do not know.

“We changed the rules after the era of Messi and Ronaldo. To protect the secrecy more easily, it was decided to keep the winner’s name hidden until the last moment.”

Asked how the result was kept confidential, Ferre said: “I believe a good secret is one shared with as few people as possible. There are little tricks and simple plans.

“My trick was to leave fake rankings lying around in the editorial office of France Football to feed social media, which amused me. Now, there cannot be more than five people who know the winner’s name.”

Mbappe makes his case

The build-up has included a series of public claims from Mbappe, who has promoted his credentials in media interviews and at Real Madrid news conferences.

“When you play for Real Madrid, the best club in the world, you are inevitably associated with these awards,” the France striker said before the Champions League match against Inter Milan.

“When people see me in the street, they talk about me. It is a very prestigious distinction for any player. I made history this summer in the most important competition. But there is still a long way to go.

“Everyone is free to think about who the best player in the world is. It is highly subjective.”

Ferre said the award would ultimately be decided by journalists, rather than public opinion.

“Some people will agree and others will not. It is a debate, and it is not necessary for everyone to think like me,” he said. “It may be a favourable year for the Ballon d’Or, but it is awarded by journalists, and they will decide.”

He added: “We have yet to see whether these statements from a candidate will bear fruit. I am not sure it is a problem, but I am not sure it is the right approach either. Who needs to be convinced? Not supporters or football fans, but the members of the jury. I am not sure they are particularly receptive to this kind of publicity campaign.”

Kane is another leading candidate after scoring 73 goals this season, including 61 for Bayern Munich. He also scored 14 goals in 13 Champions League matches.

Yamal won the 2025-2026 La Liga Player of the Season award after scoring 16 goals and helped Spain win the World Cup last summer.

Fake rankings spread online

In recent days, social media has been flooded with alleged leaks, particularly on X. Fake WhatsApp screenshots purportedly show Vincent Garcia, editor of France Football, revealing the 2026 rankings.

Images of tables showing the same supposed rankings have also circulated, with Mbappe at the top in some versions and Kane leading in others.

“This is impossible,” a source told RMC. “But it is part of the usual hype.”