The race for the 2026 Women's Ballon d'Or appears to be wide open, with several players making strong cases for the prestigious award. Melchie Dumornay of OL Lyonnes and Haiti leads the power rankings, having been named player of the year by the French players’ union. The 23-year-old midfielder was crucial to Lyonnes' domestic treble, despite their 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League final.
Ewa Pajor, representing Barcelona and Poland, is another leading contender. The 29-year-old forward scored two goals in Barcelona's Champions League final victory and matched Alexia Putellas's 2021-22 European goal tally with 11 goals last season. She also netted 16 goals in Liga F.
Manchester City's Khadija Shaw, from Jamaica, is ranked third. The 29-year-old striker, who has won three consecutive Women’s Super League Golden Boots, scored 21 goals in 22 games as City achieved a league and FA Cup double. Shaw also received the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and Football Writers’ Association (FWA) player of the year awards.
Other notable players in the top five include Alexia Putellas of London City Lionesses and Spain, who had a strong final season at Barcelona, and Yui Hasegawa of Manchester City and Japan, a key component in City's double-winning midfield.