The 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or takes place this October, with anticipation building ahead of the reveal of the 30-man shortlist.
Rodri scooped prestigious award in 2025 and the Spaniard could be in the running again after leading his country to World Cup glory in North America this summer.
This will be the fifth time in history that the award is handed out based on the achievements of players within the season, as oppose to within the calendar year. This period ran between 1st August 2025 and 31st July 2026.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary, this year's ceremony will take place in London, away from its usual home at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The gala will be held in England to honour the first-ever recipient of the award, Sir Stanley Matthews.
When are the Ballon d'Or nominees announced?
France Football will reveal the official 30-man shortlist on Tuesday 8th September between 10:00 and 15:00 BST.
As always, a panel of international journalists -- selected by France Football -- will be responsible for deciding the final 30.
Harry Kane is currently odds-on favourite to win the Ballon d'Or at 8/13 off the back of a stellar campaign for 35-time Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, in which he netted 61 goals in all competitions. The 32-year-old also captained England as they reached the World Cup semi-final and became the first-ever Englishman to win Germany's Footballer of the Year award.
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal is also prominent in the betting after lifting the World Cup and his El Clasico rival Kylian Mbappe is widely expected to be part of the final 30.
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
