French police have opened an investigation into alleged manipulation and the leaking of information linked to the results of the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Reports say 12 accounts on a prediction platform correctly forecast the final order of the first five players in the Ballon d’Or race. The predicted ranking began with England captain Harry Kane, followed by France forward Kylian Mbappe, Spain youngster Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Argentina forward Lionel Messi.
According to Tribuna, the accounts generated combined net winnings of nearly 200,000 euros. The scale and accuracy of those returns have led investigators to examine whether their owners had access to information about the results before they were officially announced.
France Football, which organises the award, was informed of the suspicions and subsequently filed a formal complaint. An internal investigation has also been launched in co-operation with the relevant French police unit.
The inquiry is focused on the possibility that confidential information about the voting outcome was used. Investigators are particularly examining how all 12 accounts were able not only to identify the five leading players, but also to predict their exact finishing order.
The allegations follow an incident that caused controversy on the night of the Ballon d’Or ceremony. The award’s official website accidentally published articles announcing some nominees as winners several hours before the ceremony began at the London Palladium.
That error renewed questions about the measures in place to protect the results and prevent them from being disclosed before the official announcement. The voting process is decided by a closed panel several days before the ceremony takes place.
France Football said protecting the integrity of the award was its absolute priority and insisted that the winner is selected through an independent vote.
A spokesperson for the magazine said: “The integrity of the Ballon d’Or is an absolute priority for France Football. We confirm that the winner is chosen through an independent vote, and we are taking allegations concerning leaked results extremely seriously.”
