Ballon d'Or website reportedly leaked winner stories naming Kane and others

The official Ballon d'Or website reportedly posted stories naming Lamine, Mbappé and Kane as winners, sparking a online hunt for a hidden code. The reports are unconfirmed and no official winner announcement is cited in these items.

Timeline

1. 26 Oct, 18:00 UTCFirst appeared on Google Trends
2. 26 Oct, 18:00 UTCPicked up on News
3. 26 Oct, 18:00 UTCMARCA reports website posted winner stories
4. 26 Oct, 18:00 UTCThe Sun reports Kane 'wins' after apparent leak

Top sources

• ballon d'or websiteGoogle Trends
• ballon dor websiteGoogle Trends
• The Internet Races to Crack Hidden Code That Reveals 2026 Ballon d’Or WinnerForza Football
• Ballon D’Or Sieger geleakedOneFootball
• Kane prematurely announced as Ballon d'Or winner - but he wasn't only oneBBC Sport
• Chaos at the Ballon d'Or: the official website accidentally posts stories naming Lamine, Mbappé and Kane as winnersMARCA
• The Internet Is Racing to Crack a Hidden Code That Reveals 2026 Ballon d’Or WinnerSports Illustrated