Ballon d’Or organisers have insisted that footballers do not need to play for European clubs to win the prestigious individual award, maintaining that players from any league in the world remain eligible despite Europe’s historical dominance.
Addressing the long-running debate as the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or intensifies, the award’s official platform said the prize is open to all players regardless of where they compete.
“Yes, it’s entirely possible to win the Ballon d’Or without playing for a European club,” the organisers said. “It just looks harder in light of history, but the growing strength of certain leagues outside Europe are shaking things up.”
The organisers further stressed that eligibility is not restricted by geography or league affiliation.
“Nothing is impossible when it comes to the Ballon d’Or. Anyone, regardless of their league, can technically claim it.”
The clarification comes amid persistent arguments over whether players outside Europe’s top leagues can realistically compete for football’s most coveted individual honour.
The Ballon d’Or, created by France Football in 1956, initially recognised only the best European player competing in a European league. The rules were broadened in 1995 to include players of all nationalities, provided they played in Europe.
A further expansion in 2007 removed the European-club requirement altogether, making every professional footballer worldwide eligible for consideration.
Despite the rule changes, Europe has remained the dominant pathway to the award.
According to an analysis cited by the organisers, virtually all of the last 18 men’s Ballon d’Or winners were representing European clubs when they received the honour. Among them were Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modrić, Karim Benzema, Rodri and Ousmane Dembélé.
The lone exception came in 2023 when Messi became the first men’s Ballon d’Or winner officially attached to a club outside Europe after joining Inter Miami before the award ceremony.
However, the organisers noted that Messi’s victory requires additional context because the award has been judged on a seasonal basis—from August 1 to July 31—since 2022.
As a result, voters primarily assessed the Argentine’s performances for Paris Saint-Germain during the 2022-23 campaign, as well as his World Cup-winning exploits with Argentina, before his move to Major League Soccer in the United States.
The women’s Ballon d’Or has also produced only one winner representing a non-European club. Megan Rapinoe claimed the award in 2019 while playing for Seattle Reign FC in the United States.
While the statistics underline Europe’s enduring influence on the Ballon d’Or, organisers maintained that football’s most prestigious individual prize remains open to players from every league around the world.
