Soccer
Ballon d'Or 2026 - The nominations for Women's Ballon d'Or
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The 2026 Ballon d'Or will take place next month in a lavish London ceremony, which you can watch live on DAZN.
It's the individual prize that sets footballers above the rest, with some of the game's greatest names having lifted the famous Golden Ball during their career.
But who will follow Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí and bag the biggest prize for 2026?
The nominees for the Women's award have been announced today, and DAZN News runs down the contenders.
Women's 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees
There will be a different winner of the 2026 Women's Ballon d'Or after Aitana Bonmatí failed to make the shortlist following three wins in a row for the Spanish midfielder.
Her injury opens up the door to a new winner, but the favourite is someone who has already lifted the Golden Ball twice in her career.
Alexia Putellas signed off her Barcelona legacy by helping the team to another league title and the Champions League, where she racked up seven goals and seven assists before moving to WSL side London City Lionesses.
She moved to the English league, where she'll find plenty of fellow nominees, with 11 WSL players included in the nominations, including England's Alessia Russo, top scorer Bunny Shaw and Putellas' new teammate Mapi León.
Further competition could also come from Ewa Pajor, who scored 11 times in the Champions League for winners Barca or Lyon's Melchie Dumornay.
Here are the names shortlisted for the award.
- Selma Bacha (France, OL Lyonnes)
- Barbra Banda (Zambia, Orlando Pride)
- Klara Bühl (Germany, Bayern Munich)
- Esmee Brugts (Netherlands, FC Barcelona)
- Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Arsenal)
- Scarlett Camberos (México, Club América)
- Kerstin Casparij (Netherlands, Manchester City)
- Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, Kansas City Current)
- Cata Coll (Spain, FC Barcelona)
- Melchie Dumornay (Haiti, OL Lyonnes)
- Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, FC Barcelona)
- Alex Greenwood (England, Manchester City)
- Patri Guijarro (Spain, FC Barcelona)
- Pernille Harder (Denmark, Bayern Munich)
- Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
- Rose Lavelle (USA, Gotham FC)
- Mapi León (Spain, FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses)
- Lorena (Brazil, Kansas City Current)
- Melvine Malard (France, Manchester United/Chelsea)
- Manaka Matsukubo (Japan, North Carolina Courage/Chelsea)
- Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands, Manchester City)
- Ewa Pajor (Poland, FC Barcelona)
- Claudia Pina (Spain, FC Barcelona)
- Alexia Putellas (Spain, FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses)
- Wendie Renard (France, OL Lyonnes)
- Alessia Russo (England, Arsenal)
- Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
- Momoko Tanikawa (Japan, Bayern Munich)
- Caroline Weir (Scotland, Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes)
- Tessa Wullaert (Belgium, Inter Milan/Como)
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Find out which two players will be crowned the best male and female player on the planet on Monday, October 26 at the Ballon d’Or awards. Watch exclusively worldwide live and FREE on DAZN (check for excluded territories)
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