The Ballon d’Or will be awarded in London today, Monday, and many experts consider Bayern star Harry Kane the favourite, although Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal are also among the leading contenders. In recent weeks and months, Kane has received support from several FC Bayern officials as well as from his teammates at club and international level.
Numerous experts from Germany and abroad also regard Kane as the best player of the 2025–26 season. Until the ceremony tonight, however, it remains uncertain whether the Englishman will take the trophy. No Bayern player has won the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Bayern Sends a Large Delegation to London
Bayern are travelling to London without sporting director Max Eberl, who has come down with a cold, but they are still sending a large delegation. According to a report in Spanish newspaper Marca, the record champions are very confident that Kane will win the Ballon d’Or.
CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and President Herbert Hainer are part of the Bayern contingent that has set off for London. Dayot Upamecano, Michael Olise, Lennart Karl, Pernille Harder and Klara Bühl, all of whom are also nominated in various categories, are travelling with the squad.
Alongside Kane, his biggest rivals, Yamal and Mbappé, will also attend the ceremony. The event begins at 7 p.m., and the streaming service DAZN will broadcast it live.
Why a Kane Victory Matters for Bayern and the Bundesliga
A Ballon d’Or victory for Kane would send an important message. It would be Bayern’s first title of this kind since 1981, and it would confirm that the award for the world’s best player can indeed be won in the Bundesliga. That would generate greater international attention and prestige, carrying real symbolic significance for the league.