Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice is leading the early power rankings for the Ballon d’Or 2026 award.
According to Idman.Biz, citing early projections released by talkSPORT, the 27-year-old tops the list with odds of 3/1. Rice’s performances this season have helped Arsenal move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
With four goals and eight assists so far this campaign, the midfielder has developed into a complete all-round player. If Arsenal win the league for the first time since 2004, Rice could become the first Ballon d’Or winner in the club’s history and the first English player to claim the award since Michael Owen in 2001.
Second place in the rankings is shared by two players at odds of 7/2. Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has scored 30 goals in 26 matches, while Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal is also among the leading contenders after finishing second in the 2025 voting.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane remains a strong challenger at 5/1. He has already scored 32 goals in the Bundesliga, and his performance at the World Cup could prove decisive.
The top six is completed by Erling Haaland at 8/1 and Vitinha at 16/1.
Defending winner Ousmane Dembele remains on the list at 25/1 despite injury issues. Lionel Messi is also priced at 25/1, with the Argentine having recorded 43 goals and 26 assists in 49 MLS matches. Winning another World Cup is considered crucial if he is to claim a ninth Ballon d’Or.
