How does Ballon d'Or voting work? Nominees and format explained

The most prestigious individual award in football underwent a historic change in 2022 as France Football announced the award would no longer be judged for a player's exploits over the calendar year.

So, two years ago, Karim Benzema became the first player in the history of the Ballon d'Or to win the award based on his performances over the course of a season.

The game's two contemporary greats, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have dominated this award over the past decade and a half, with the former claiming a record eighth award in 2023. However, this year, neither have been nominated for the shortlist for the prize - the first time this has happened for a staggering 21 years.

Here's how voting for the 2024 Ballon d'Or will work.

2024 Ballon d'Or nominees

Ballon d'Or

The Ballon d'Or will have a first-time winner in 2024 after the omission of Messi, Ronaldo, Benzema and Luka Modric. That in itself is perhaps something worthy of celebration.

Real Madrid's Champions League winners are the leading candidates for the accolade, most notably Vinicius Junior. The Brazil star was instrumental in Los Blancos' success last season and scored in the Champions League final triumph over Borussia Dortmund in June.

Jude Bellingham was voted Real Madrid's and La Liga's Player of the Season for 2023/24 and helped England reach the final of Euro 2024. Dani Carvajal, who also scored in the Champions League final, is a surprise but genuine candidate after also winning this summer's Euros with Spain.

Elsewhere, Manchester City players are likely to dominate the voting. Rodri is the biggest threat to Vinicius Jr and Bellingham, guiding the Cityzens to a fourth successive Premier League title and winning Euro 2024's Player of the Tournament award.

• Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid/England
• Ruben Dias - Man City/Portugal
• Phil Foden - Man City/England
• Federico Valverde - Real Madrid/Uruguay
• Emiliano Martinez - Aston Villa/Argentina
• Erling Haaland - Man City/Norway
• Nico Williams - Athletic Club/Spain
• Granit Xhaka - Bayer Leverkusen/Switzerland
• Artem Dovbyk - Girona/Roma/Ukraine
• Toni Kroos - Real Madrid/Germany
• Vinicius Junior - Real Madrid/Brazil
• Dani Olmo - RB Leipzig/Barcelona/Spain
• Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen/Germany
• Martin Odegaard - Arsenal/Norway
• Mats Hummels - Borussia Dortmund/Roma/Germany
• Rodri - Man City/Spain
• Harry Kane - Bayern Munich/England
• Declan Rice- Arsenal/England
• Vitinha - PSG/Portugal
• Cole Palmer - Chelsea/England
• Dani Carvajal - Real Madrid/Spain
• Lamine Yamal - Barcelona/Spain
• Bukayo Saka - Arsenal/England
• Hakan Calhanoglu - Inter/Turkey
• William Saliba - Arsenal/France
• Kylian Mbappe - PSG/Real Madrid/France
• Lautaro Martinez - Inter/Argentina
• Ademola Lookman - Atalanta/Nigeria
• Antonio Rudiger - Real Madrid/Germany
• Alejandro Grimaldo - Bayer Leverkusen/Spain

• 2024 Ballon d'Or nominees - revealed

Ballon d'Or Feminin

Aitana Bonmati has a strong chance of defending her Ballon d'Or Feminin title in 2024 after scooping the award for the first time last year. Two-time winner Alexia Putellas is also nominated but unlikely to complete her hat-trick.

Barcelona's other stars are knocking on the door, including the likes of Salma Paralluelo, who came third last year, and Caroline Graham Hansen.

Ada Hegerberg of Lyon won the first ever Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2018 and she is nominated again for the award this time around.

Sam Kerr, who has finished in the top three for the last three years without winning, has missed out on the nominations in 2024 after an injury-hit season with Chelsea.

• Aitana Bonmati - Barcelona/Spain
• Lauren Hemp - Man City/England
• Trinity Rodman - Washington Spirit/USA
• Tarciane - Corinthians/Houston Dash/Brazil
• Barbra Banda - Shanghai RCB/Orlando Pride/Zambia
• Ada Hegerberg - Lyon/Norway
• Manuela Giugliano - Roma/Italy
• Mallory Swanson - Chicago Red Stars/USA
• Glodis Viggosdottir - Bayern Munich/Iceland
• Mariona Caldentey - Barcelona/Arsenal/Spain
• Lauren James - Chelsea/England
• Lea Schuller - Bayern Munich/Germany
• Patri Guijarro - Barcelona/Spain
• Gabi Portilho - Corinthians/Brazil
• Tabitha Chawinga - PSG/Lyon/Malawi
• Carolina Graham Hansen - Barcelona/Norway
• Lindsey Horan - Lyon/USA
• Sjoeke Nusken - Chelsea/Germany
• Yui Hasegawa - Man City/Japan
• Lucy Bronze - Barcelona/Chelsea/England
• Salma Paralluelo - Barcelona/Spain
• Giulia Gwinn - Bayern Munich/Germany
• Khadija Shaw - Man City/Jamaica
• Grace Geyoro - PSG/France
• Alexia Putellas - Barcelona/Spain
• Sophia Smith - Portland Thorns/USA
• Ewa Pajor - Wolfsburg/Barcelona/Poland
• Alyssa Naeher - Chicago Red Stars/USA
• Mayra Ramirez - Levante/Chelsea/Colombia
• Marie-Antoinette Katoto - PSG/France

• 2024 Ballon d'Or Feminin nominees - revealed

2024 Ballon d'Or voting format

The Ballon d'Or victor is decided by 100 journalists from FIFA's 100 top-ranked member nations. Each journalist makes their top five picks from the 30-person shortlist, with each ranking earning a different points value/number of votes.

• First: Six points
• Second: Four points
• Third: Three points
• Fourth: Two points
• Fifth: One point

As you'd expect, the player who picks up the most points in voting is named that year's Ballon d'Or victor.

Who won the 2023 Ballon d'Or?

Having helped Argentina to World Cup glory in the winter of 2022, Messi extended his incredible Ballon d'Or record by claiming an eighth award last October. The victory moved him three ahead of long-standing rival Ronaldo.

With the award cancelled in 2020, Messi has won three of the last four Ballon d'Or trophies handed out, with Al Ittihad forward Benzema disrupting his run in 2022.

Recent Ballon d'Or winners

Who won the 2023 Ballon d'Or Feminin?

Aitana Bonmati is the reigning Ballon d'Or Feminin holder after an exceptional season which included another Liga F title alongside the Champions League with Barcelona before triumphing on the global stage. Her Spain side won the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

It was Bonmati's first Ballon d'Or, beating international teammates Olga Carmona, Patricia Guijarro, Mapi Leon, Salma Paralluelo and Alba Redondo to the award.

Ballon d'Or Feminin winners

READ MORE ON THE 2024 BALLON D'OR NOMINATIONS AND PREDICTED RANKINGS