2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or Nominees Are Out: Find Out the 30 Stars in the Running

France Football has confirmed the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, with the nominees representing 18 different nationalities. The award will be handed out at the ceremony in London on Monday, 26 October, alongside its men’s counterpart.

The Full Shortlist

Here are the 30 players nominated for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or:

The Biggest Talking Point: No Bonmatí

The standout absence from this year’s list is Aitana Bonmatí, who won the award in each of the last three years running. An injury-disrupted campaign has kept the Barcelona and Spain midfielder off the shortlist entirely, opening the door for a genuinely new winner for the first time since 2022.

It’s also worth noting that this award cycle doesn’t fall in a Women’s World Cup year, unlike the men’s race, which was heavily shaped by this summer’s tournament. Instead, voters will lean more heavily on club form and last summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, which England won.

Who Are the Favourites?

With Bonmatí out of the picture, Alexia Putellas emerges as one of the clearest favourites. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner has continued to operate at an elite level in Barcelona’s midfield, and her performances in the Women’s Champions League this season have kept her firmly in the conversation before her move away from the club.

Manchester City’s Khadija “Bunny” Shaw is another leading contender, having scored 21 goals to fire City to the Women’s Super League title. Her City teammates Vivianne Miedema, Alex Greenwood, Kerstin Casparij, and Yui Hasegawa also feature on the shortlist, reflecting City’s strong domestic season.

Alessia Russo, who finished third in last year’s voting, returns to the list after another strong campaign for Arsenal, alongside her Gunners teammate Mariona Caldentey. Melchie Dumornay of Lyon has also been tipped as a genuine threat to the established order, having been among the most dangerous attacking players in Europe for parts of the season.

Club and National Representation

FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and OL Lyonnes all won their respective domestic leagues this past season, and that success is reflected heavily across the nominee list. Barcelona’s Cata Coll also arrives on the back of a treble-winning campaign in goal, having made a string of crucial saves throughout the season.

Beyond the major European leagues, the NWSL is represented by players including Temwa Chawinga, Rose Lavelle, and Lorena, while Japanese duo Manaka Matsukubo and Momoko Tanikawa add further international variety to the list.

What Happens Next

The 30 nominees will now be assessed by an international jury of journalists ahead of the winner being crowned at the ceremony in London on 26 October. With the reigning three-time champion absent from the running, this year’s award looks set to produce a first-time winner for the first time in several years.

Read More: 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or Nominees Are Out: 30 Stars in the Running

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