Mbappe, Yamal or Kane? Nigeria to vote for 2026 Ballon d'Or winner

The Super Eagles’ ranking of 26th in the latest FIFA standings means a Nigerian journalist will sit on the 100-strong international jury that decides football’s biggest individual prize.

In a statement released by France Football, the Ballon d’Or is awarded by an international jury of specialised journalists, with one representative per country in the top 100 in the FIFA rankings for men.

The FIFA ranking taken into account is the one in effect on the date the lists were published, 8 September 2026.

Voting closes soon, with the ceremony set for London on October 26.

Harry Kane is the favourite with most bookmakers after a remarkable season, scoring 71 goals to help deliver the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double plus a strong World Cup showing.

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal is also a strong contender, after finishing the 2025-26 season as LaLiga's best player in a title-winning campaign.

His chances have also been boosted by Spain’s World Cup triumph.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is also firmly in the running and has been on something of a press run, pushing his own claim for the award, insisting he has as much of a chance as anyone else.

In a recent interview with RFI, the France captain leaned heavily into his Cameroonian and Algerian roots, thanking African supporters and declaring that if he wins the Ballon d’Or, he hopes “in one way or another” to dedicate it to the continent.

Africa hold 20% of the votes, and the timing of his comments has not gone unnoticed.

While Kane currently leads the race in the eyes of sports bookies, the African percentage of voters could yet influence a tight contest between three of the game’s biggest stars.