Harry Kane has admitted that his family are nervous about the outcome of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with his wife eager to discover whether the Bayern Munich striker will win the award before Monday’s ceremony in London.
The England captain spoke after Bayern’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Champions League, revealing that the wait for the result had created tension at home.
According to Fabrizio Romano in a post on 𝕏 earlier today, October 23, Kane said, “My wife would prefer to know the result now, and my family is very nervous.”
“I understand France Football wishes to keep silent so that all the stars can attend, but from my point of view, of course I would like to know the result without having to wait all evening. I will surely enjoy the evening.”
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26. It will mark the first time the prestigious event has been held outside Paris.
The ceremony will also coincide with the award’s 70th anniversary and celebrate Sir Stanley Matthews, who became the first Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.
Kane enters the race after an outstanding 2025-26 season, during which he scored 73 goals for club and country and helped Bayern secure a domestic double while maintaining his strong form for England.
His performances have placed him among the leading contenders to win the award. Victory would make him the first Englishman to claim the honour since Michael Owen in 2001. He could also become Bayern’s first winner since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed the award more than four decades ago.
Other leading contenders include Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé and reigning winner Ousmane Dembélé.
Despite the growing speculation, Kane has insisted that his priority remains Bayern’s campaign, although he acknowledged the difficulty of ignoring the constant discussion surrounding the award.
“I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours and stuff flying around, so you try to stay away from it,” he said.
“We’ll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much.”
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