Nigeria will have no representation at the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards as the football world gathers at the London Palladium in London, United Kingdom, on Monday, October 26, with Super Eagles forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman among the notable omissions.

The 70th edition of the prestigious awards ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8 pm local time, which is 9 pm in Nigeria.

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It marks the first time the event has been held outside Paris since the award was established in 1956.

England captain Harry Kane, Spain international Lamine Yamal and France forward Kylian Mbappé are among the leading contenders for the men’s prize.

Broadcaster Kate Scott and former France international Thierry Henry are set to host the ceremony.

Nigeria’s absence extends across the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or shortlists and the other award categories, ending a run of Nigerian representation in recent editions.

Osimhen and Lookman had been prominent performers for club and country during the period under consideration.

The pair scored seven of Nigeria’s 14 goals at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, finishing among the tournament’s leading scorers.

Osimhen also recorded 30 goal contributions across all competitions during the 2025/26 season, while Lookman registered 12 goals and six assists.

Despite those figures, neither forward made the 30-man shortlist for the men’s award.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is one factor that may have affected the country’s visibility on the global stage, although the award’s voting criteria also consider individual performances, team achievements and fair play.

The omissions follow notable Nigerian representation in previous editions.

Osimhen finished eighth in 2023 after helping Napoli win the Italian Serie A title, while Lookman placed 14th in 2024 following his hat-trick for Atalanta in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Nigeria also had nominees in the women’s categories in 2025.

Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie were shortlisted after the team defeated hosts Morocco 3-2 to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and secure a record-extending 10th continental title.

Madugu was nominated for the women’s coach award, while Nnadozie was shortlisted for the Yashin Trophy. Both finished fourth in their respective categories.

Africa’s representation on the 2026 men’s shortlist comes through Senegal forward Sadio Mané, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

Paris Saint-Germain have a strong presence on the men’s list, with nominees including defending champion Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi and Vitinha.

Other notable contenders include Real Madrid forwards Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior, Barcelona’s Yamal and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Kane is seeking to become the first Englishman to win the men’s Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen claimed the award in 2001.

Yamal, who finished second in the previous edition, is also among the prominent contenders, while eight-time winner Lionel Messi features on the shortlist.

The men’s award is decided by an international jury of journalists representing the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings.

Each juror ranks their top 10 players based on individual performance, team achievements and conduct.

For Nigerian football fans, the absence of Osimhen and Lookman is a setback after their recent individual and international achievements.

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It also highlights the challenge of maintaining global recognition when strong club performances are not matched by participation in major international tournaments.