Ballon d’Or Organisers Release Statement After Mistakenly Publishing Winners
- France Football released a statement after articles naming potential Ballon d'Or winners were accidentally posted online
- The published articles featured leading contenders Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal
- France Football insisted the premature posts did not reveal the actual winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or
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France Football has issued a statement after articles naming possible winners of the 2026 Ballon d'Or were mistakenly published on the Ballon d'Or website before the official announcement.
The organisation said the articles were prepared in advance as a precautionary measure for all nominees, in case any of them claimed the prestigious award. The content was not meant to go live, and its appearance online was an error.
Among the players featured in the accidentally published material were Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal, three of the most prominent names in contention for the award this year.
France Football's official explanation
In its statement, France Football said:
“Portraits of some Ballon d'Or nominees prepared by [Ballon D'Or Website] were inadvertently published online.
“These articles had been prepared in advance for all nominees in the event of a win. They DO NOT, in any way, reveal the podium, which remains unknown to everyone at this time.”
The organisation was firm in stressing that none of the published content should be taken as an indication of who will win the award.
Pre-written articles of this kind are a common editorial practice in sports journalism, where publications prepare multiple versions of a story ahead of a major announcement so they can publish quickly once a result is confirmed.
The accidental release has done little to settle the debate around the frontrunners. Kane, Mbappe, and Yamal have each enjoyed strong seasons, and their inclusion among the pre-written winner profiles simply reflects their standing as genuine contenders, not confirmation of any outcome.
France Football's clarification makes clear that the actual result has not been leaked and that the winner remains undecided, at least publicly, at this stage.
Source: Legit.ng
