Kane Favoured for Ballon d’Or at London Ceremony
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be staged in London for the first time, taking place late on Monday Hong Kong time at the Guardian Theatre, with Harry Kane entering as the overwhelming favourite.
The 33-year-old England captain has been backed after a standout period with Bayern Munich, where he won the Bundesliga and German Cup after joining the club in 2023.
Kane also led England to third place at the World Cup finals this summer, described as the team’s best World Cup finish in decades.
On the eve of the award, he had already topped Marca’s annual top-100 footballers ranking ahead of Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe.
Key Points
- The annual Ballon d’Or ceremony is being held at London’s Guardian Theatre, with the event scheduled for late Monday night in Hong Kong.
- Kane, now 33, joined Bayern Munich in 2023 and has since won the Bundesliga and German Cup, ending his long wait for major silverware.
- He scored 54 goals in 2026, and had reached 89 goals since the start of last season before Sunday’s Bundesliga fixtures.
- England teammate Declan Rice praised Kane’s scoring record, while Bayern coach Kompany said the striker would deserve the Ballon d’Or if he wins it.
- Kane was ranked first in Marca’s annual top-100 list ahead of Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe, strengthening expectations of a landmark award.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong football fans following European football overnight, the London staging and Kane’s status as favourite give this year’s Ballon d’Or unusual immediacy and familiarity.
If Kane wins, he would become the first English Ballon d’Or winner since Michael Owen in 2001, adding historical weight to an award already tied to his most productive club-and-country period.