Harry Kane has admitted that the wait to find out whether he has won the 2026 Ballon d'Or is weighing on his family, The Guardian reported. The award will be presented at the London Palladium on the night of Monday 26 October London time, which Dân trí puts at the early hours of 27 October in Vietnam. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich and England striker is the odds-on favourite, with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal second favourite and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé next in the betting. Lionel Messi, meanwhile, is expected to be absent because of commitments in Spain and the United States.
Kane on the suspense
Kane said his wife and family would prefer to know now, describing the wait as “very stressful for everyone”. He would like to know too, but accepts that keeping the result secret ensures the big names attend and more people watch. “From my point of view, I’d love to know to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night. But it is their decision, I can’t control that.” He also said: “I try not to think about it.” He conceded, though, that rumours are hard to avoid.
His latest contribution came in Bayern's 2-2 Champions League draw with Arsenal, where he scored a penalty and supplied the through ball for Alphonso Davies' equaliser for 1-1. Declan Rice, who scored Arsenal's late leveller, backed his England teammate: according to Bongda24h, the Arsenal midfielder said Kane is the strongest candidate and that the numbers speak for themselves.
The numbers and the schedule
Kane's goals, according to The Guardian:
| Period | Bayern Munich | England |
|---|---|---|
| Last season | 61 goals | 12 goals |
| This season (to 21 October) | 10 goals | 6 goals |
Messi, one of the 30 nominees, has a crowded calendar. MARCA, as reported by Thanh Niên and Dân trí, says he was scheduled to travel to Oviedo with his family on 22 October to receive the Princess of Asturias Award for sport from the Spanish royal family, and his visit set off a rush for tickets in the city. A schedule compiled by KBVN+:
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 21 October | Kane scores and assists in Bayern's 2-2 draw with Arsenal |
| 22 October | Messi due in Oviedo, according to the schedule published by MARCA |
| Evening of 23 October (Spain time) | Princess of Asturias ceremony at the Teatro Campoamor |
| 4:30 on 25 October (Vietnam time) | Inter Miami visit New York Red Bulls |
| Night of 26 October (London time), early 27 October (Vietnam time) | Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony at the London Palladium |
| 29 October | Inter Miami host FC Cincinnati |
| 2 November | Inter Miami visit New England Revolution |
According to the two Vietnamese outlets, Messi will fly straight to New York after the Oviedo ceremony on the evening of 23 October. He leads the MLS scoring chart with 25 goals in 27 games, and Inter Miami have already reached the MLS Cup playoffs in November. Dân trí and Thanh Niên also cite Spanish press reports that Messi, an 8-time winner, wants the trophy sent directly to Barcelona's club museum if he wins.
What comes next
The winner will be revealed at the London Palladium on the night of 26 October (London time). Kane, Yamal and Mbappé lead the betting according to The Guardian, while Messi is not expected in London.
Before the ceremony, our story on Mbappé and the Onze d'Or offers more background on the contenders.