Ballon d’Or ceremony set for London’s Palladium

The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place at London’s Palladium on October 26, marking the award’s first staging in the British capital and outside France. The winners have not yet been announced in reports published ahead of the event. The main ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. London time. The official Ballon d’Or website says live coverage will start at 4 p.m., while red-carpet arrivals are scheduled from 6 p.m. The different times refer to separate parts of the evening. Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal are among the leading contenders for the men’s award. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior and other players are also on the 30-player shortlist. Kane is described in previews as a leading favourite, but no winner is confirmed before the ceremony. The event will present awards across men’s and women’s football, including honours for players, young talents, goalkeepers, coaches and clubs. The women’s Ballon d’Or is among the main awards. The ceremony also includes recognition for top scorers and other achievements in the game. The winners are chosen by journalists rather than a public vote. For the men’s award, the...