2026 Ballon d'Or: OL Lyonnes in the running in 4 categories!

The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in London on Monday, October 26.

The various Lyon nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or

• Nominated for the Ballon d’Or: Selma Bacha – Melchie Dumornay – Wendie Renard – Caroline Weir
• Nominated for the Trophée Kopa: Lily Yohannes
• Nominated for the Trophée Cruyff: Jonatan Giráldez
• OL Lyonnes is nominated for: Women’s Club of the Year

Four players from Lyon are on the list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Selma Bacha has been selected for the second time in her career, as has Melchie Dumornay, who was among the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. OL Lyonnes’s iconic figure and team captain, Wendie Renard, returns to the list for the sixth time in her career. Finally, summer signing Caroline Weir has also been named to the list, following her outstanding season last year with Real Madrid CF.

The breakout star of the 2025–2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League season, Lily Yohannes is among the five players shortlisted by France Football magazine as contenders for the Best Young Player award. In her first season with OL Lyonnes, the American made her mark on the team’s campaign, notably scoring two goals—including a magnificent lob from midfield against Pölten during the European campaign.

Jonatan Giráldez is among the five coaches nominated for the 2025–2026 season’s Best Coach Award. The tactician successfully implemented his vision for the game and won all three national competitions with the Lyon women’s team during his first season at OL Lyonnes.

OL Lyonnes is among the five teams shortlisted to win this prestigious award. Jonatan Giráldez’s players had a magnificent season, winning the Arkema Première Ligue, the first-ever LFFP Cup, and the French Cup. It was a historic treble, capped off by a Women’s Champions League final appearance.

The History of the Women’s Ballon d’Or

In 2018, France Football magazine created the Women’s Ballon d’Or, modeled after its male counterpart. The award is given to the world’s best female player over the course of a season. The Women’s Ballon d’Or is awarded based on votes from 50 specialized journalists according to three criteria: individual performance, team success, and skill combined with fair play. France Football magazine conducts preliminary selections in advance based on the various award categories.

The different categories for the 2026 Ballon d’Or:

• The Ballon d’Or – 30 Shortlisted Players
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Female Player) – 5 shortlisted players
• Yachine Trophy (Best Female Goalkeeper) – 5 shortlisted goalkeepers
• Cruyff Trophy (Best Women’s Soccer Coach) – 5 coaches shortlisted
• Women’s Club of the Year – 5 shortlisted clubs
• Socrates Award: Recognizes a player who is involved in social and charitable initiatives

First Women’s Ballon d’Or

Ada Hegerberg was the first recipient of this award in 2018 as a player for Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. After an exceptional season both individually and as part of the team, she won the Women’s Champions League and the French league title with OL. The forward scored 53 goals in 32 games that season, finishing as the top scorer across all three competitions she played in (including the French Cup).

2025 Ballon d’Or Rankings

At the previous Ballon d’Or ceremony, two Lyon players were among the 30 nominees selected by France Football for the award. Lindsey Heaps finished 26th, while Melchie Dumornay, in her first nomination, ranked 18th among the world’s best female players.