Soccer’s biggest individual prize – the Ballon d’Or – is gearing up for its 69th edition in 2025. Traditionally presented by France Football, the gala crowns the world’s top player each year. This year’s ceremony is set for Monday, September 22, 2025 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The August 2025 nominee announcement (on Aug 7) put the spotlight on stars from around the globe, fueling plenty of pre-show buzz. In fact, fans on social media have already been debating everything from Lewandowski’s 2020 snub to Casemiro’s surprise pick for 2025. Let’s break down the full schedule, categories, nominees and storylines heading into this fall’s Ballon d’Or gala.

Nominees & Schedule: Key Dates and Events

The Ballon d’Or 2025 shortlist was officially unveiled on Thursday, August 7, 2025, in a joint announcement by France Football and partners like L’Équipe. Over the afternoon of Aug. 7, the magazine’s website and app rolled out the 30-man (and 30-woman) nominee lists for each category. Fans could follow live updates on L’Équipe’s platforms and social media. The final winners will then be revealed at the Paris ceremony on Sept. 22, 2025. In between these dates, journalists and voters will cast ballots (details below) to decide the victors.

Nominees announced: Aug 7, 2025 (midday, on L’Équipe)
Ballon d’Or Ceremony: Monday, Sept 22, 2025 at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris
Key categories: Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or, Young Player (Kopa), Goalkeeper (Yashin), Top Scorer (Gerd Müller), Coach (Cruyff), Club of the Year, plus the Socrates humanitarian award

France Football has expanded the awards in recent years for full gender parity. In 2025, every major prize given to a man has an equivalent for women. That means alongside the Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or, there will be Men’s and Women’s Kopa Trophies (best young player), Yashin Trophies (best goalkeeper), Gerd Müller Trophies (top scorer), Johan Cruyff Trophies (coach of the year), and even Men’s and Women’s “Club of the Year” awards. (The Socrates Award – for social impact and humanitarian actions – is a gender-neutral trophy that continues in 2025.) In all, the October ceremony will hand out a dozen major prizes across men’s and women’s soccer.

Major Categories and Prizes

Fans may find it helpful to keep track of all the awards up for grabs. The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony will feature:

Ballon d’Or (Best Player): Men’s and Women’s trophies for overall Player of the Year.
Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player): Men’s and Women’s awards for top players under age 21.
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper): Men’s and Women’s awards for outstanding goalies.
Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer): Men’s and Women’s awards for season’s most prolific scorers.
Johan Cruyff Trophy (Coach of the Year): Men’s and Women’s awards for the best manager or coach.
Club of the Year: Men’s and Women’s awards for the top club (based on titles and performances).
Socrates Award (Humanitarian): Given to a player (any gender) for notable social impact and solidarity efforts.

Each of the above categories has a shortlist of nominees (usually five for the coach and club awards, ten for keepers, or 30 for players). France Football revealed the full shortlist of 30 names for the Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or as of Aug 7. Shortlists for Kopa, Yashin, etc. were released in the days following. In total, the Ballon d’Or will consider over 100 contenders across all awards in 2025.

Star-Studded Shortlists

Men’s Ballon d’Or Nominees

The Men’s shortlist reads like a who’s who of world soccer. Notable names include: Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League heroes (Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Vitinha, etc.), Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and youthful Pedri and Raphinha, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, plus Bayern’s Harry Kane, Inter’s Lautaro Martínez, and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva. In total, PSG has a record six nominees on the men’s list. Other clubs with multiple nominees include Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal and Bayern.

Here are just a few key contenders from the Men’s shortlist:

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) – World Cup winner and La Liga champion.
Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) – Champions League and domestic double champion in 2024/25.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid/France) – World Cup star and perennial top performer.
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) – Legendary scorer with 47 goals last season; fans still debate his 2020 Ballon d’Or fate.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Premier League champion (29 goals) and Playmaker Award winner for most assists.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – Defensive cornerstone of the title-winning Liverpool side.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – 18-year-old sensation coming off a historic treble with Barcelona.
Raphinha (Barcelona) – Key in Barcelona’s attack, part of the treble winners.

Women’s Ballon d’Or Nominees

The Women’s shortlist is equally impressive, featuring stars from Europe and beyond. Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, England’s Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson, Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen, Brazil legend Marta, USA’s Emily Fox, Zambia’s Barbra Banda, and several other World Cup and Champions League winners. Arsenal has a strong showing after their UCL title (nominees Kelly, Williamson, Russo), and Barcelona has multiple nominees (Bonmatí, Putellas, Pina, Pajor, etc.). Chelsea, Lyon, Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain players also appear on the list.

Key names from the Women’s shortlist include: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain/Barcelona, 2023 World Cup winner), Alexia Putellas (Spain/Barcelona, Ballon d’Or winner), Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway/Barcelona), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Chelsea), Steph Catley and Leah Williamson (England/Arsenal), Marta (Brazil, Orlando Pride, Ballon d’Or legend), Lucy Bronze (England/Chelsea), Hannah Hampton (England/Chelsea), and Barbra Banda (Zambia/Orlando Pride).

Other Awards: Youth, Keepers, Coaches, Clubs

Beyond the main player prizes, shortlists are also out for the other awards. For example, Barcelona’s prodigy Lamine Yamal is again a favorite for the Men’s Kopa Trophy (best U21 player), going for back-to-back wins. In goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) is widely tipped to win the Men’s Yashin Trophy (best GK) after starring in PSG’s treble. For coaches, Hansi Flick (Barcelona) and Luis Enrique (PSG) are viewed as leading candidates on the men’s side, while Sarina Wiegman (England) and Rénée Slegers (Arsenal) head the women’s list. Club of the Year nominees include heavyweights: Barça, PSG, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Botafogo on the men’s side, and Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea, Lyon and Orlando Pride for the women.

Contenders and Favorites

With so many stars on the shortlists, who’s actually favored to win? No name immediately stands out as an inevitable winner in 2025. The absence of last year’s champion Rodri (out injured all year) means a new men’s winner will be crowned. According to bookmakers and media, the leading contenders for the Men’s Ballon d’Or 2025 are:

Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) – Coming off his first Champions League title, Dembélé was named CL Final MVP. PSG also won Ligue 1 and the French Cup easily, and Dembélé added 22 goals across all competitions.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – The Egyptian winger won the Premier League with Liverpool and shared the Golden Boot (29 goals) plus the Playmaker Award (18 assists). Even without a CL trophy, Salah’s stats and his role in Liverpool’s title charge have pundits calling him a front-runner.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – At just 18, Yamal starred in Barcelona’s treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa) during his first year under Hansi Flick. His dazzling form has made him one of the year’s breakout stars, and fans wonder if he could become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner ever.
Raphinha (Barcelona) – Another key figure in Barça’s treble campaign, Raphinha’s speed and goals helped Barcelona dominate domestically. Though they fell short in Europe, he’s on many people’s radar as one of Barca’s top performers.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) – While Real Madrid had a trophyless season, Mbappé remains a two-time World Cup champion and goal machine. His eight Ballon nominations (tying Messi/CR7 records) testify to his reputation – but without a title, he’ll rely on personal stats to make his case.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – The reigning Top Scorer and Champions League winner, Haaland racked up goals for City again.
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) – As World Cup winner and Spanish league champion, Bellingham’s stock has never been higher.

On the Women’s Ballon d’Or side, fans expect names like Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Chloe Kelly, Lucy Bronze and others to feature heavily. For example, Arsenal’s Euro-winning stars Kelly, Williamson and Russo are champions of England and Europe. In polls, many have tipped Arsenal’s Chloe Kelly to win. But Barcelona’s Bonmatí and Putellas, England’s Bronze and Harder, Spain’s Patri Guijarro and others could all split the vote.

How the Ballon d’Or Is Decided

It’s worth remembering how the Ballon d’Or actually gets decided. Voting is done by a global panel of journalists: one selected expert from each of the top 100 countries in FIFA’s men’s world rankings (and the top 50 for the women’s ballot). Each journalist submits a top-10 list of players in order. Points are then awarded (15 points for a first-place vote, 12 for second, down to 1 point for tenth). The player with the most total points wins. This makes the process a combination of objective season stats/trophies and subjective opinion from media around the world.

In 2024 Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or with just a 41-point margin over Vinícius Júnior. France Football compiles all the ballots to find the totals. This year, journalists will weigh PSG’s CL triumph, Liverpool’s title run, Barcelona’s treble, etc. It’s also why voters note when last year’s winner Rodri wasn’t even on the shortlist (he missed most of the season with injury); 2025 is guaranteed a first-time winner.

Historical Context & Notable Backstories

Every Ballon d’Or has its own backstory and drama. A few historical notes can give perspective on 2025:

Lionel Messi’s Record: Messi leads all players with eight Ballon d’Or titles (2009–2012, 2015, 2019, 2021). Cristiano Ronaldo has five. Neither is competing for 2025.
2020 Lewandowski Snub: In 2020 the Ballon d’Or ceremony was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Robert Lewandowski was widely seen as the rightful winner – he scored 47 goals in 44 games and won the Bundesliga and UCL. Fans were furious, and Messi even said in his 2021 speech: “Robert, you deserve your Ballon d’Or – last year everyone agreed you were the big winner.”
Super Ballon d’Or (1989): Alfredo Di Stéfano was named the greatest footballer of the preceding 30 years, beating Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini. To date Di Stéfano is the only recipient of that special trophy.
Long-Term Winners: From 2007 to 2023, either Messi, Ronaldo or Rodri won every men’s Ballon d’Or. That 18-year streak is broken in 2025 – no Messi, no Ronaldo, and no returning winner.

Women’s Ballon History: The Women’s Ballon d’Or is newer (first given in 2018). Past winners include Ada Hegerberg, Megan Rapinoe, Alexia Putellas, Alex Morgan, Aitana Bonmatí, and others.

U.S. Interest and Broadcast

Although the Ballon d’Or is a European-based award, it draws attention worldwide – including here in the U.S. Major sports networks plan coverage (in past years, channels like ESPN2, Fox Sports, or Paramount+ have aired parts of the ceremony). French broadcaster L’Équipe traditionally streams the nominees announcements live, and select USA networks or streaming services often pick up the final event.

Two Americans made the nominee lists in 2025. Emily Fox and Lindsey Horan (listed under her married name) are both Arsenal players and nominees for the Women’s Ballon d’Or. Additionally, Orlando Pride (USA) is nominated for Women’s Club of the Year, thanks to their strong season in the NWSL. These nominations mean U.S. fans have a direct rooting interest.

What’s Next

Between now and September, keep an eye on these updates: France Football’s World XI team usually drops in October, and the day-of coverage on social media will be lively. On ceremony night (Sept 22), the nominees for the Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or trophies will be announced (typically the final five finalists), building suspense. Then the winners are revealed live. Often the Women’s awards are presented just before the Men’s on the same program, or in a combined show.

Finally, remember that the Ballon d’Or sparks as many opinions as it does cheers. Whether you agree with fan polls or disagree with pundits, part of the fun is the global debate: Who should win, versus who will win? With heavyweights like Messi (8-time winner) and Ronaldo (5-time) not in contention, this year’s race is one of the most open in decades. And with social media already abuzz – from petitions for Lewandowski to old debates resurfacing – expect the 2025 ceremony to be a hot topic