Ballon d’Or Organizers Enforce Strict Winner Confidentiality

The organizers of the Ballon d’Or have implemented a strict confidentiality policy that prevents the winner from being informed of the outcome prior to the ceremony. This approach, introduced in 2024, aims to maintain suspense and prevent leaks about the winner before the live announcement.

The next Ballon d’Or ceremony is set for October 26 at the London Palladium in England. Previously, winners could be informed ahead of the event, which sometimes led to premature disclosures.

The new policy ensures that the successful player does not receive advance confirmation, allowing for a more spontaneous reaction during the announcement. Reports indicate that the practice of fitting the winner with a microphone shortly before the announcement has been discontinued.

This change follows controversies in past years, such as the 2024 incident when Real Madrid and Vinícius Júnior were expected to win, but Manchester City midfielder Rodri was announced as the winner, leading to a boycott by Real Madrid.