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Ballon d’Or 2025 Gala Begins in Paris With Dembélé and Yamal Leading Tight Race

Global broadcasters carry the Théâtre du Châtelet ceremony as organizers debut women’s versions of several major trophies.

Overview

  • France Football’s season-based awards show takes place today in Paris, with coverage available via Movistar/Max/DAZN in Spain, CBS in the U.S., TNT Sports/HBO Max in Mexico, and ESPN/Disney+ in much of Latin America.
  • Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal headline the 30-player shortlist, with Vitinha also cited among leading contenders by multiple outlets.
  • The 2025 program expands gender parity by introducing first-time female editions of the Kopa and Yashin trophies alongside other women’s categories.
  • An unverified leaked points list circulated naming Yamal as winner, but media reports stress that the document is not confirmed ahead of the official announcement.
  • Pre-ceremony notes include Yamal arriving with a roughly 20-person entourage and Alexis Mac Allister confirming he will skip the gala for personal reasons linked to his partner’s pregnancy.