October 26, 2026
A photo circulated widely across social media platforms, claiming to leak the final rankings and the winning player for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparked widespread controversy among football fans a few hours before the start of the ceremony.
The activities of the 70th edition of the prestigious award will begin this evening, Monday, as the British capital, London, hosts the event for the first time in its history at the “London Palladium” theater, amidst fierce and open competition to succeed Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, the title holder of the previous edition, and at the head of the candidates are Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Lionel Messi.
In the details of the circulated image, its publishers claimed that Kylian Mbappe won the award after occupying first place, followed by Harry Kane second, and Lamine Yamal third. However, research and scrutiny proved that the photo is completely fake and has no basis in truth, and falls within the usual wave of “fake leaks” that are active ahead of the annual ceremony organized by “France Football” magazine.
What confirms the fabrication of this particular photo is the inclusion of the name of the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah on the alleged list, despite his not being on the official list of candidates that the magazine announced earlier.
It is noteworthy that the organizing body has been implementing, since 2024, a strict system based on complete confidentiality, as the winner or the clubs are not informed of the results in advance, so that the identity of the crowned winner remains secret until the moment the official envelope is opened on the stage.
