Ballon d’Or 2024: How the voting for football’s most iconic prize works, who votes for the winner and how they decide

The 2024 Ballon d’Or takes place tonight in Paris, to crown the best man and woman in world football.

First established in 1986 by magazine France Football, the Ballon d’Or is the sport’s most prestigious individual prize. It has a historic legacy across its various iterations, and has been known both as the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Ballon d’Or.

Eight-time winner and current holder Lionel Messi, and five-time winner and most-nominated ever, Cristiano Ronaldo, are just two names closely associated with the prize across its history, while other winners include Zinedine Zidane, Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho and Luis Figo. 

As of 2018, the Ballon d’Or Feminin has been awarded to the best female footballer in the world. Recipients include two-time winner, Alexia Putellas, Ada Hegerberg and Megan Rapinoe. 

But how does the voting work for the Ballon d’Or? And how has the system changed over the years?

The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the player voted the best in the world by journalists

Since 2022, the current system is based on voting by a large panel of international journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries, and top 50 for the Ballon d’Or Feminin. Only a single journalist from each country in these rankings is given a vote.

It’s a five-vote system, meaning each journalist has to make five picks from a shortlist with each vote assigned a different points value.

The first-place position is awarded six points, with four for the second, three for the third, two for fourth and one point to their fifth-placed entry. 

The player with the most cumulative points wins the Ballon d’Or.

There is a list of assessment criteria the journalists who are voting must consider, including how successful the team they were playing for was that season, players’ individual behaviour and contribution, and elements of fair play. 

The key assessment window to consider is based on the European season, between August to July, having switched from a calendar-based period of January to December, in 2022.

Their rationale isn’t shared, however, and voting is purely subjective. Journalists get to pick from a shortlist of 23 players from around the world. Originally, it was an award restricted to European players from European clubs, then any player playing for a European club, and since 2007, any player globally.

In that period, the voting panel was expanded to include coaches and captains of national teams, but reverted back to just being journalists in 2016.

Between 2010 and 2015 FIFA and France Football reached an agreement to merge forces, and name it the FIFA Ballon d’Or. 

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is hotly tipped to win the 2024 edition of the Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid duo Jude Bellingham (left) and Vinicius Junior (right) are also favoured to win the prize, after their roles in Madrid’s La Liga-Champions League double

That partnership ended in 2016, however, with the Ballon d’Or reverting back to its singular name, while FIFA has its own – The Best FIFA Men’s Player.

This year, Rodri is a leading contender to scoop the award, after helping Manchester City to a record fourth successive Premier League title and Spain win the European Championship.

Team-mate Erling Haaland is in contention, while Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham are also hotly tipped for their roles in Madrid’s La Liga-Champions League double.