Ballon d'Or 'winners' published by mistake hours before men's award

Organizers of the Ballon d'Or mistakenly published multiple winners of the men's award on the event's official website hours before the official ceremony on Monday. The premature announcements included articles declaring Harry Kane as the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner, alongside similar pieces describing Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe as victors.

The blunder occurred in London prior to the presentation of the awards. The leaked announcements created widespread confusion regarding the outcome of the prestigious football accolades before the official proceedings took place.