Ballon d’Or 2025 Award Ceremony scheduled for September 22 in Paris
The prestigious Ballon d’Or ("Golden Ball") award ceremony is set to take place on September 22, 2025, in Paris, marking a historic step towards gender parity in football accolades. Organizers France Football magazine and UEFA confirmed on Monday that the event will be held at the Théâtre du Châtelet, with a revamped structure that ensures equal awards for men and women for the first time in the event's storied history.
In a significant development, the 2025 edition of the Ballon d’Or will feature six awards for male players and six awards for female players, aligning with growing calls for equity in global football recognition. New categories introduced this year include awards for the Best Women’s Goalkeeper, Best Young Women’s Player, and the Top Women’s Scorer across club or national team competitions.
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This brings the total number of main individual awards to 13, including the Socrates Award, which is open to any player, male or female, who has made notable efforts to promote solidarity and social causes through football.
Nominees to be announced in August
Organizers revealed that the official shortlist of nominees for all categories will be announced in early August, setting the stage for weeks of anticipation and debate within the football community. The selection process, based on individual and team performances from the 2024/25 season, is expected to be as competitive as ever, particularly with several players delivering standout campaigns across Europe and beyond.
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Real Madrid controversy looms over 2024 Ceremony
The upcoming ceremony will also serve as an opportunity to move beyond the controversy that marred last year’s event. In 2024, Real Madrid boycotted the gala after learning that Brazilian star Vinicius Junior had not secured the Best Men’s Player title, which was instead awarded to Rodri of Manchester City. The decision sparked heated debate and social media uproar, with many questioning the transparency and fairness of the voting process.
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Organizers have not confirmed any changes to the voting procedures this year but emphasized that the 2025 edition aims to reflect the spirit of inclusivity, meritocracy, and global representation.
Held annually since 1956 (with the women’s edition launched in 2018), the Ballon d’Or remains one of the most coveted individual honors in world football. The move to fully equalize the recognition of men and women players is being hailed as a long-overdue step toward gender equality in the sport.
As the football world turns its attention to Paris this September, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony promises not just to celebrate excellence on the pitch, but to also spotlight progress in the game’s evolving narrative off it.
SportsLigue