Ballon d’Or tie-break rule explained as Mbappé closes in on Kane and Yamal

The 2026 Ballon d’Or winner could be decided by a tie-break rule as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal compete for football’s most prestigious individual award.

According to Sportbible, 100 specialised journalists, representing the top 100 nations in FIFA’s rankings, voted for their top 10 players from a 30-man shortlist. Players receive points ranging from 15 for a first-place vote to one for a tenth-place selection. If two players finish level on points, the winner is determined by the number of first-place votes.

If the tie persists, second-place votes, then third-place votes, are considered, and so on. Kane remains the bookmakers’ favourite, but Mbappe’s odds have shortened significantly following his brace against Barcelona.

Oddschecker reportedly showed the Frenchman’s price falling from 12/1 to 11/4 over the weekend. Mbappe scored 58 goals across all competitions last season, while Kane registered 73 for club and country.

Yamal has also remained in contention despite a recent drift in betting odds. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at London’s Palladium, marking the first time the event will be held outside Paris.