Lionel Messi misses Ballon d’Or ceremony to launch youth tournament in United States

Lionel Messi has opted not to attend the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, appearing instead at the opening of the second edition of the Messi Cup in the United States.

The Inter Miami captain attended the launch of the Under-16 tournament, which is organised through his company, 525 Rosario. The event took place on Monday evening, at the same time as the Ballon d’Or ceremony was being held in the English capital.

Messi had been listed among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but organisers had not officially confirmed whether he would attend the ceremony. Spanish newspaper Marca had previously reported that the Argentina forward would not travel to London.

The decision followed a demanding period of travel for Messi. He had recently returned from Spain, where he collected the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, before travelling back to the United States to play for Inter Miami against New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

Inter Miami are due to face Cincinnati in Major League Soccer on Wednesday. Travelling to London and returning within a short period would have added to Messi’s schedule as he prepares for that match.

The second Messi Cup features 16 teams and will run for one week, with 48 matches scheduled in total. The participating clubs include Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Newell’s Old Boys and Inter Miami.

Messi’s absence from the ceremony had also been linked to his role on the evening. Journalist Fabrizio Romano previously reported that the forward had not been invited to present any of the awards during the event.

The 2026 ceremony was particularly notable for Messi because he remains the record holder for the most Ballon d’Or victories. The Argentine has won the award eight times.