As the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony approaches, attention is turning to the criteria jurors use to select the world’s best male and female footballers.
The winners will be announced on the 26th of October 2026, at the London Palladium in England, with individual performances, team achievements and fair play forming the basis of the voting process.
France Football’s official regulations rank the three criteria in order of importance, giving individual performances priority over team honours and sportsmanship.
Here are the three criteria that will determine the 2026 Ballon d’Or winners.
1. Individual performances, decisiveness and impact
Individual performances rank first among the three Ballon d’Or voting criteria.
Jurors assess each nominee’s individual contributions, including consistency, influence on matches and ability to deliver decisive performances at crucial moments.
The criterion places emphasis on how players perform on the pitch and the impact they have on their teams throughout the assessment period.
Players who consistently influence matches and produce impressive performances are evaluated under this first criterion.
2. Team performances and honours
Team performances and honours rank second in the Ballon d’Or voting process.
Jurors consider what nominees have achieved with their clubs and national teams, including trophies won during the relevant period.
Success in major domestic and international competitions therefore forms part of the assessment, although team achievements rank below individual performances in the official regulations.
The criteria apply to both the men’s and women’s awards.
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3. Class and fair play
Class and fair play complete the three criteria.
Jurors consider players’ conduct and sportsmanship, including their respect for opponents, teammates, match officials and the rules of football.
Although this criterion ranks third, it remains part of the official assessment used to determine the final standings.
Who votes for the Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is awarded by an international jury of specialist journalists selected according to the FIFA rankings for men’s and women’s national teams.
For the men’s award, 100 journalists represent the 100 highest-ranked countries in the relevant FIFA rankings. For the women’s award, 50 journalists represent the 50 highest-ranked countries.
The rankings used to determine the eligible countries are those in effect when the nominee lists are published.
Each juror selects and ranks 10 nominees from a shortlist of 30 players.
The nominees receive points according to their positions on each ballot: 15 points for first place, 12 for second, 10 for third, followed by eight, seven, five, four, three, two and one point.
The player with the highest overall points total wins the award.
If two players finish level on points, the winner is determined by the number of first-place votes. If the tie remains, second-place votes and then subsequent rankings are considered.
The 2026 ceremony will take place in London on October 26, marking the award’s 70th anniversary and the first time the event will be held in the British capital.
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