Ballon d’Or Discloses the Most Important Criterion As Mbappe, Yamal, Others Battle for Award
- France Football closed voting for the 2026 Ballon d'Or on September 28, with 100 journalists deciding the men's award
- Ballon d'Or organisers answered key fan questions about how the winner is chosen as the ceremony approaches
- The three voting criteria were ranked in order of importance, with one factor placed above team trophies and fair play
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The organisers of the Ballon d'Or have clarified exactly how voters must rank their criteria when selecting the winner, with the ceremony now less than a month away.
France Football announced the 2026 nominees on September 8 and gave 100 eligible journalists 21 days to cast their votes for the men's award. The voting window closed on September 28.
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As anticipation builds ahead of the ceremony, Ballon d'Or organisers addressed some of the most frequently asked questions from fans about the selection process.
Ballon d'Or criteria in order of importance
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Voters must weigh three distinct criteria when submitting their choices. According to the Ballon d'Or organisers, individual performances — covering a player's decisiveness and consistency of impressive displays — carry the most weight in the final decision. This is the primary factor journalists are expected to prioritise above all others.
The second most important criterion is team performances and honours. A player's contribution to collective success and the trophies won during the eligibility period fall under this category.
Class and fair play round off the three criteria. While the organisers described this as an important consideration, it ranks lowest among the three when voters are weighing up their selections.
What this means for the nominees
The ranking of these criteria carries different implications for the contenders currently regarded as frontrunners. Players like Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane each have contrasting profiles when measured against the three benchmarks.
A player with standout individual displays but a relatively modest haul of team honours like Kylian Mbappe could still fare well if voters apply the criteria strictly in the order of importance outlined by the organisers.
Conversely, a player like Fabian Ruiz who enjoyed a trophy-laden season but whose personal performances were not standout may find the weighting works against them.
Updated Ballon d'Or rankings
Legit.ng previously reported the updated Ballon d'Or rankings after the September 28 voting deadline for the 2026 Golden Ball award.
Harry Kane remains the leading favourite heading into the final weeks before the 70th edition of the award ceremony in his hometown London.
Source: Legit.ng
