New Delhi, Sept. 8 -- France Football has named the 30 men's and 30 women's candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, opening the race for football's most famous individual prize after a World Cup year. Last season's winners were Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati.

The 70th Ballon d'Or will be handed out in London on October 26, a first for the ceremony and a nod to Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the original award in 1956.

Harry Kane is widely viewed as the early favourite after 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England, plus a German treble. Lamine Yamal is one of six Spanish world champions on the shortlist. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe overtook Lionel Messi for the all-time World Cup goals record with 22.

Messi, chasing a ninth Ballon d'Or a...