Lionesses Pair Join 30-Player Field for 2026 Women's Ballon d'Or

Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood are the only England players named on the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 women's Ballon d'Or. BBC Sport reported that the Arsenal forward and Manchester City captain will contest the award, with the winner scheduled to be announced at a ceremony in London on October 26.

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Russo returns to the field after finishing third in the 2025 vote. According to BBC Sport, she scored 24 goals in 40 club appearances during the latest campaign. Greenwood's place follows a season in which she captained Manchester City to the Women's Super League title and the FA Cup.

Greenwood is joined on the shortlist by several City teammates. Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw was selected after scoring 21 goals in 22 league matches, while Japan midfielder Yui Hasegawa and Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema also appear among the nominees. City defender Kerstin Casparij is another member of the 30-player field.

Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, winner of the women's Ballon d'Or in each of the past three years, is absent after missing a significant part of the season with a broken leg, BBC Sport said. Two-time winner Alexia Putellas is among the nominees after helping Barcelona win the Champions League, placing another previous champion in contention.

Scotland captain Caroline Weir also made the shortlist. Weir joined Lyon from Real Madrid in June after scoring 20 goals in all competitions for the Spanish club. Other confirmed nominees include Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey, Barcelona's Caroline Graham Hansen and Patri Guijarro, Bayern Munich's Pernille Harder, Gotham FC's Rose Lavelle and Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda.

The 2026 presentation marks the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d'Or, which France Football created in 1956. BBC Sport said London was chosen as a tribute to former England international Sir Stanley Matthews, the award's inaugural winner. The final result remains undecided until the voting process is completed and the winner is revealed at the October ceremony.