Ballon d’Or Voters Face One of Their Toughest Decisions Yet

The 2026 Ballon d’Or race has reached its final stage, but even the journalists responsible for deciding the winner have reportedly struggled to identify a clear consensus candidate.

Voting officially closed on September 28, with 100 journalists from the top-ranked FIFA nations responsible for ranking their top 10 players from the 30-man shortlist.

According to RMC Sport, several voters described this year’s race as exceptionally difficult, with one journalist calling it “the hardest” voting experience of their career.

The uncertainty stems from the strength of the leading candidates. Some players produced outstanding club seasons but had less impact at the World Cup, while others enhanced their claims through their performances on the international stage. There are also candidates with strong individual statistics whose teams did not achieve the same level of collective success.

The journalist explained that finding a player who excelled across every part of the season has been particularly difficult, making it harder for one candidate to emerge as an undisputed choice.

Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and other leading contenders have all built substantial cases for the award, while the official criteria require voters to consider individual performances, team achievements, as well as class and fair play.

One voter even revealed that it took him two full days of consideration to complete his final top-10 list, highlighting just how competitive the 2026 race has become.

With the ballots now submitted, the debate will continue until the winner is finally revealed at the London Palladium on October 26.