The 2026 Ballon d'Or ranking has been published, with the top ten already defined and the players competing for the title. The complete list, ranging from position 30 to 11, was made available by the organizing committee, which also announced the positions of the players outside the top ten.
Among the most discussed names, Lautaro Martínez, striker for Inter and the Argentina national team, ranked 22nd, while Vinícius Jr., star of Real Madrid, came in 17th. Outside the top ten, Jude Bellingham, midfielder for Real Madrid and the English national team, occupied eleventh position. Other notable players in the ranking include Pau Cubarsí (12th), Achraf Hakimi (13th), Vitinha (14th), Declan Rice (15th), Ferran Torres (16th) and Marc Cucurella (18th), among others.
The top ten, which decides who will compete for the title, is made up of Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Michael Olise, Rodri and Fabián Ruiz. These players have been recognized for their outstanding performances throughout the year, at both club and national team level.
As regards the Women's Ballon d'Or, the list of candidates still in the running has been published in alphabetical order. Among the names featured are Temwa Chawinga, Melchie Dumornay, Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Pernille Harder, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina, Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo and Khadija Shaw. None of these athletes play in Italy, but they have all proven to be among the best on the women's scene.
The committee invited fans to join the community to discuss nominations and stay up to date on all sports-related news, events and offers. With the ranking now made official, fans will be able to follow the next stages of the voting process and see who will be able to take home the prestigious 2026 Ballon d'Or.