Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman to claim football’s top individual prize since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern Munich striker collected the award at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, at the first Ballon d’Or ceremony ever held in the English capital (ESPN; Sports Illustrated).
The 33-year-old was rewarded for a season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country, according to ESPN. Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, now with London City Lionesses, won the women’s award for a third time.
What to know
- Men’s winner: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England), who beat Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to the prize.
- Women’s winner: Alexia Putellas, adding a third Ballon d’Or Féminin to her wins in 2021 and 2022.
- When and where: Monday, October 26, 2026, at the London Palladium, for the 70th edition of the award.
- Milestone: Kane is the fifth Englishman to win, and Bayern’s first winner since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981, according to Reuters.
- Also on the night: Kane had already collected the men’s Gerd Müller Trophy for top scorer earlier in the evening.
How the night unfolded
The evening did not run to plan. ESPN reported that the ceremony was pushed back by 30 minutes, to an 8:30 p.m. start. Putellas received the women’s prize first, and Kane was named a short time later to loud chants of his first name from the crowd. He kept his speech brief and visibly emotional, opening with “Thank you to everyone who voted for me.”
Why Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or
Kane’s case was built on scoring. He reached 73 goals for Bayern and England over the campaign, and he won the Bundesliga and the German Cup with Bayern, according to a Kyunghyang Shinmun profile (an AI-translated article). AFP reported that he also helped England finish third at the World Cup, scoring six times at the tournament.
The gaps in his résumé were the biggest team prizes. Bayern lost narrowly to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals, and England did not reach the World Cup final, which Spain won. AFP described the field as one of the most open in recent memory, even though Kane was the bookmakers’ favorite going in.
His main rivals each had a strong claim. ESPN noted that Mbappé became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer this summer, while Yamal won the tournament with Spain. The men’s award covers performances from August 3, 2025 through the World Cup final on July 19, 2026, and the stated criteria rank individual performance first, team achievements second, and class and fair play third, according to Sportmonks.
England’s long wait ends
Kane joins a short list of English winners: Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979) and Michael Owen (2001). Matthews won the inaugural award, which gave the London setting extra symbolism, as Sports Illustrated noted ahead of the ceremony.
Putellas and Barcelona dominate the women’s awards
Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or after captaining Barcelona to a quadruple last season, The Independent reported. She joined London City Lionesses in July after leaving Barcelona, Reuters reported, and ESPN says that makes her the first active Women’s Super League player to win the award.
Barcelona’s women also took the club award, with Pere Romeu named coach of the year and Cata Coll goalkeeper of the year, ESPN reported. Vicky López was named the women’s young talent for a second straight year, according to CNN.
Other men’s awards
Yamal was named the men’s young player of the year. In his brief speech he said he would have preferred the prize to go to Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí. Spain’s Luis de la Fuente won coach of the year and goalkeeper Unai Simón took the goalkeeper award, ESPN reported. The Reuters-based winners list also shows Paris Saint-Germain as the men’s club of the year.
How the Ballon d’Or vote works
The award is organized by France Football. A panel of 100 journalists from around the world each rank 10 players from a 30-man shortlist, and the player with the most points wins, according to ESPN.
What happens next
Kane’s contract with Bayern runs to June 2027, according to the club’s website, and AFP reported in August that he was about to open talks on an extension. No new deal appeared in the coverage reviewed for this article.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Harry Kane of Bayern Munich and England won the men’s award on October 26, 2026.
Who won the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2026?
Alexia Putellas of London City Lionesses won her third Ballon d’Or Féminin.
When did an Englishman last win the Ballon d’Or?
Michael Owen was the last, in 2001, so Kane ended a 25-year wait.
Where was the 2026 ceremony held?
At the London Palladium, the first time the ceremony has been held in London.
The bottom line
Kane’s win rewards a 73-goal season and ends a 25-year gap for English football.
Sources
- ESPN: Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d’Or
- Business Standard (Reuters): Kane ends England’s 25-year wait
- Reuters via Jerusalem Post: Kane crowned 2026 Ballon d’Or winner
- CNN: Kane and Putellas win Ballon d’Or awards
- ESPN: Putellas wins as Barcelona dominate women’s awards
- Sky Sports: Putellas wins Ballon d’Or
- AFP via Ahram Online: Kane hopes for a special night
- Sportmonks: Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony guide
