The nominees for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or have been announced, with England internationals Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood among the 30 players shortlisted for the prestigious award.
The nominations were revealed on Tuesday 8th September, with this year’s ceremony set to take place at the London Palladium on Monday 26 October. It will be the first time the Ballon d’Or ceremony has been held in London, as the award celebrates its 70th anniversary. The decision to bring the ceremony to London also pays tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, who became the first-ever Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.
Lionesses represented:
Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood are the only English players nominated for the Women’s Ballon d’Or this year. Russo, who plays for Arsenal, finished third in last year’s voting and enjoyed another strong season, scoring 24 goals in 40 appearances.
Manchester City captain Greenwood also makes the shortlist after helping her side win both the Women’s Super League and FA Cup last season. Her City team-mate Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw is also among the nominees.
Three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati absent:
One of the biggest talking points from the nominations is the absence of Aitana Bonmati. The Barcelona midfielder had won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the past three years, but she has not been nominated this time after missing a significant part of last season through injury. Her absence leaves the award wide open, with two-time winner Alexia Putellas among the leading contenders.
Putellas is joined on the shortlist by a strong group of Barcelona players, including Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Cata Coll, Claudia Pina and Ewa Pajor.
A strong list:
The 30-player shortlist features some of the biggest names in women’s football, representing clubs and nations from across the world.
Alongside the established stars are players such as Zambia’s Barbra Banda, Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay and Mexico’s Scarlett Camberos, highlighting the increasingly global nature of the women’s game.
Full nominees’ list:
- Selma Bacha – France, OL Lyonnes
- Barbra Banda – Zambia, Orlando Pride
- Esmee Brugts – Netherlands, Barcelona
- Klara Buhl – Germany, Bayern München
- Mariona Caldentey – Spain, Arsenal
- Scarlett Camberos – Mexico, Club América
- Kerstin Casparij – Netherlands, Manchester City
- Temwa Chawinga – Malawi, Kansas City Current
- Cata Coll – Spain, Barcelona
- Melchie Dumornay – Haiti, OL Lyonnes
- Caroline Graham Hansen – Norway, Barcelona
- Alex Greenwood – England, Manchester City
- Patri Guijarro – Spain, Barcelona
- Pernille Harder – Denmark, Bayern München
- Yui Hasegawa – Japan, Manchester City
- Rose Lavelle – United States, Gotham FC
- Mapi Leon – Spain, 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, Barcelona
- Claudia Pina – Spain, Barcelona
- Alexia Putellas – Spain, Barcelona/London City Lionesses
- Wendie Renard – France, OL Lyonnes
- Alessia Russo – England, Arsenal
- Khadija Shaw – Jamaica, Manchester City
- Momoko Tanikawa – Japan, Bayern München
- Caroline Weir – Scotland, Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes
- Tessa Wullaert – Belgium, Inter/Como
Other awards will also be presented in London, including Women’s Young Talent of the Year, Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Women’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Club of the Year.
Women’s Young Talent of the Year nominees:
- Veerle Buurman – Netherlands, Chelsea
- Vicky Lopez – Spain, Barcelona
- Felicia Schroder – Sweden, Hacken/Real Madrid
- Clara Serrajordi – Spain, Barcelona
- Lily Yohannes – United States, OL Lyonnes
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year nominees:
- Ann-Katrin Berger – Germany, Gotham FC
- Cata Coll – Spain, Barcelona
- Hannah Hampton – England, Chelsea
- Lorena – Brazil, Kansas City Current
- Ayaka Yamashita – Japan, Manchester City
Women’s Coach of the Year nominees:
- Jonatan Giraldez – Spain, OL Lyonnes
- Andree Jeglertz – Sweden, Manchester City
- Nils Nielsen – Denmark, Japan national team
- Pere Romeu – Spain, Barcelona
- Elena Sadiku – Sweden, Celtic/Hacken
Women’s Club of the Year nominees:
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Bayern Munchen (Germany)
- Club America (Mexico)
- Manchester City (England)
- OL Lyonnes (France)
The winner of the Women’s Ballon d’Or will be announced at the London ceremony on 26 October, with Bonmati’s absence leaving the door open for a new name to claim the biggest individual prize in women’s football.
