French football legend Thierry Henry and British journalist Kate Scott will host the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26, as the prestigious award marks its 70th anniversary.
France Football and UEFA announced the pair as hosts on Monday, confirming that the ceremony would take place at the London Palladium.
The event will mark a departure from Paris, where the ceremony had been held at the Théâtre du Châtelet since 2019. Organisers said the move to London was intended to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the award, first won by England legend Sir Stanley Matthews in 1956.
Henry, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, finished runner-up in the 2003 Ballon d’Or voting and received nine nominations during his playing career. He also won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2009 and established himself as a Premier League icon during his time at Arsenal.
The former striker currently works as a football analyst on CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage in the United States, where he regularly appears alongside Scott.
Henry said he was delighted to host the ceremony in a city with which he shares a strong football connection.
“London is the city I call home, and I have a deep connection to its football culture and the passionate fans here,” he said.
Scott, an internationally recognised sports journalist, has also hosted the Ballon d’Or ceremony, having done so in 2014 and 2015 before returning as co-host in 2025 alongside former Netherlands captain Ruud Gullit.
She described the event as a major occasion on the football calendar and expressed excitement about hosting it again.
The 2026 ceremony will bring together leading figures in world football, with the winners of the various awards set to be announced at the London event.
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