BBC launches its own rival to Ballon d’Or with new Footballer of the Year awards

The BBC is launching a competitor for the Ballon d’Or award by including two new awards in its BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) programme for 2026.

The annual sports awards show will now have categories for Men’s Footballer of the Year and Women’s Footballer of the Year with the winners to be determined by a public vote.

That is one of the differences between the new SPOTY awards and the Ballon d’Or with the latter voted on by football journalists from across the world and points tallied to determine which male and female players are given the prize. England’s Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or this year with Spain’s Alexia Putellas claiming the women’s crown for the third time.

The inclusion of the two new categories is part of a shake up for SPOTY in 2026 as five of the nine awards to be handed out on the night will be determined by a public vote - including the main Sports Personality of the Year prize - with the others decided by an independent panel made up of industry experts, sports broadcasters, sports journalists and former sportspeople as usual.

A press release from the BBC says that the introduction of the two football categories allow “audiences [to] have a direct say in deciding the year's standout men's and women's footballers after an unforgettable year for the sport at home and around the world.”

The men’s award is a new category for 2026 and will be voted on by audience members in the United Kingdom alone while the women’s award will be open to a global vote to reflect its heritage as a BBC World Service award.

Rory McIlroy won the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

The Women’s Football of the Year title has been a BBC World Service award since 2015 and has always been decided by a global vote. 2026 will be the first year that the award is presented as part of the BBC’s SPOTY programme. Global audiences will be able to vote for their standout player from 10 November.

The winners of both awards will be revealed on 13 December during the SPOTY awards show.

The BBC’s press release adds: “From Team GB's most successful Winter Olympics ever and England's best men's FIFA World Cup performance in 60 years, to record-breaking displays at the European Athletics Championships and Arthur Fery's unexpected run to the Wimbledon men's singles semi-finals, fans have been treated to an incredible year of sporting moments that will live long in the memory.

“In addition to crowning the winners for Men’s Footballer of the Year and Women’s Footballer of the Year, sports fans will also select the winners for World Sport Star of the Year, Team of the Year and the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award itself. Live from Salford and hosted by Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott the star-studded show will take place on Sunday 13 December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 5.45pm until 7.15pm.”