The ceremony, which will mark the 70th edition of the renowned football awards, will be conducted under a voting system that allocates representation to countries according to their positions in the FIFA rankings.
According to information published on the Ballon d’Or website, the men’s award will be decided by journalists representing the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings, while the women’s category will feature voters from the top 50 nations.
The composition of the jury will be based on the FIFA rankings in effect when the nominees were announced on September 8, 2026, ensuring that the countries represented are determined by their standings at the time.
Under the voting procedure, each juror will select 10 players from a shortlist of 30 nominees and rank them according to merit. The player placed first will receive 15 points, while the second choice will earn 12 points.
The remaining selections will attract 10, eight, seven, five, four, three, two and one point, respectively, with the points accumulated across all ballots determining the eventual winner.
The player who records the highest overall score will claim the award, following the conclusion of the voting process.
However, the organisers have also outlined procedures for resolving a tie between two or more players. Where nominees finish with equal points, the number of first-place votes received will determine the winner. If the deadlock remains, second-place votes will be considered, followed by subsequent rankings until a winner emerges.
The organisers further stated that any other disputes arising from the voting process would be settled by the editor-in-chief of France Football, the publication responsible for organising the awards.
With the ceremony scheduled for October 26, attention will turn to the international jury as football fans await the announcement of the latest recipients of one of the sport’s most coveted individual honours.
The 2026 event will represent a significant milestone in the history of the Ballon d’Or, bringing the prestigious awards into their 70th edition.