Nigeria will have no representative at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, with no Nigerian player, coach or other nominee featuring in any of the award categories for the first time in three years.
The 70th edition of the prestigious ceremony takes place at the London Palladium on Monday, with Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé among the leading contenders. The event begins at 9pm Nigerian time and will be hosted by Kate Scott and Thierry Henry.
Super Eagles forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are among the notable absentees despite their contributions during the 2025/26 season.
Osimhen recorded 30 goal contributions across all competitions, while Lookman registered 12 goals and six assists. Both players also played important roles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where they accounted for seven of Nigeria’s 14 goals.
However, Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may have affected their chances, as the assessment period for this year’s awards ran from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026.
Osimhen finished eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings following Napoli’s Serie A title triumph, while Lookman placed 14th in 2024 after helping Atalanta win the Europa League.
Nigeria received recognition in the women’s categories last year, when Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie both finished fourth in their respective award categories following the team’s WAFCON triumph.
Africa’s sole representative on the 2026 men’s shortlist is Senegalese forward Sadio Mané of Al Nassr.
Paris Saint-Germain lead the nominations with 10 players, including defending winner Ousmane Dembélé.
The Ballon d’Or winner is selected by international journalists, who assess individual performances, team achievements, sporting class and fair play.
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