African Nations Set to Vote for 2026 Ballon d’Or Award

Twenty African countries are eligible to vote for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, as they are among the top 100 in the FIFA men’s world ranking, which was published on September 8. France Football, the organizer of the award, stated that the men’s Ballon d’Or is decided by an international jury of specialized journalists, with one representative from each of the 100 highest-ranked nations.

Each journalist will select and rank 10 players from the 30 nominees, with points awarded based on their ranking. The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, where the winner will be announced.

The award considers performances during the 2025-26 season, including domestic and international competitions, with the reference period from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, which encompasses the 2026 World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.