The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony will be live-streamed globally on DAZN, including free access for Indian viewers. Red carpet coverage starts at 10:30 PM IST on October 26, followed by the main event at 1:30 AM IST on October 27. Tune in to DAZN's app or website for exclusive coverage of football's most prestigious awards night.
Football's most glamorous evening comes to the London Palladium tonight, October 26, 2026, and India has been invited to watch from the sofa at an unreasonable hour. The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony begins at 1:30 AM IST on Tuesday, October 27, so plan your sleep schedule accordingly if you want to watch it live.
Below, we cover the Ballon d'Or 2026 live streaming options in India, the timings for both the red carpet and the main ceremony, the television situation and the complete list of nominees.
The most direct answer is DAZN, which has announced free global coverage of the ceremony across 200 markets. Indian viewers should head to the official DAZN app or website before the broadcast begins, as you'll need a free membership to watch the event live tonight.
Red-carpet coverage is expected to begin at around 10:30 PM IST on Monday, October 26, giving you a few hours of arrivals, red carpet looks and interviews before the main event commences. The main ceremony follows at 1:30 AM IST on Tuesday, October 27, which corresponds to 8 PM in London. Pre-show start times can shift on the day, so a quick look at DAZN's schedule is wise.
No India-specific television broadcaster has been confirmed for the 2026 ceremony at the time of writing. Sony Sports carried last year's ceremony on television in India, so some viewers will instinctively check there, but without an announcement for this year, it would be unwise to rely on it. DAZN's online coverage remains the stated option, and any late broadcaster announcement will be worth watching for. Until one arrives, the stream is the plan.
Both the men's and women's shortlists carry 30 names. The men's nominees are Jude Bellingham, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Ousmane Dembélé, Luis Díaz, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel, Erling Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lamine Yamal, Sadio Mané, Marquinhos, Lautaro Martínez, Kylian Mbappé, Nuno Mendes, Lionel Messi, João Neves, Michael Olise, Willian Pacho, Julián Quiñones, Declan Rice, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, William Saliba, Ferran Torres, Dayot Upamecano, Vinícius Jr. and Vitinha.
The women's shortlist features Selma Bacha, Barbra Banda, Klara Bühl, Esmee Brugts, Mariona Caldentey, Scarlett Camberos, Kerstin Casparij, Temwa Chawinga, Cata Coll, Melchie Dumornay, Caroline Graham Hansen, Alex Greenwood, Patri Guijarro, Pernille Harder, Yui Hasegawa, Rose Lavelle, Mapi León, Lorena, Melvine Malard, Manaka Matsukubo, Vivianne Miedema, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina, Alexia Putellas, Wendie Renard, Alessia Russo, Khadija Shaw, Momoko Tanikawa, Caroline Weir and Tessa Wullaert.
Beyond the two headline prizes, the evening honours the best young players, goalkeepers, coaches, clubs and leading strikers across both the men's and women's games. Recent editions have presented these as the Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Gerd Müller Trophy and Johan Cruyff Trophy. The Sócrates Award will also recognise initiatives in solidarity, humanitarian work and social causes, a reminder that football's influence extends well beyond the pitch.
Open DAZN early, sign in, and confirm that the stream plays on your device before the red carpet begins; discovering a login problem at 1:25 AM is a poor use of anyone's evening. Streams tend to run a few seconds behind the room, and social media runs a few seconds ahead of the stream, so silence your notifications if you want the winners to arrive as a surprise. Everything else is a matter of luck and timing (and you not falling asleep).