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French authorities have reportedly opened an investigation into alleged insider trading connected to the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or results.
Soccer's most celebrated awards ceremony took place in London last month, though it was not without its share of controversy. Leaks from within the organization revealed the men's podium positions hours before the event began, the ceremony suffered significant delays, and Harry Kane edged out Kylian Mbappé by a mere 28 points.
Just as the controversy appeared to be dying down, France Football finds itself facing yet another crisis. The Athletic reports that 12 accounts on the prediction platform Polymarket collected winnings after correctly predicting the precise finishing order of the top five male recipients.
Red flags were also raised over the "behavior of the bettors" within the market. Combined with the unpredictability surrounding this year's Ballon d'Or standings, the accurate predictions pointed toward insider trading.
Men's 2026 Ballon d'Or Rankings
Rank | Player | Club, Country |
|---|---|---|
1. | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich, England |
2. | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid, France |
3. | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona, Spain |
4. | Rodri | Barcelona, Spain |
5. | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami, Argentina |
First reported by French outlet Upside, the bettors placed €250,000 ($281,000) across the 12 accounts in question and walked away with close to €200,000 ($225,000) after correctly forecasting the finishing order of Kane, Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Lionel Messi.
According to The Athletic, France Football initially launched their own internal investigation into the series of wagers before reaching out to the Central Racing and Gaming Service (SCCJ), the body responsible for overseeing France's gambling, betting, and horse racing sectors.
Ballon d'Or Organizers Speak Out on Investigation
Potential insider trading would further tarnish an already contentious voting process for the Ballon d'Or. The winner is ultimately determined by 100 journalists representing FIFA's 100 highest-ranked member nations. Each juror selects their top 10 from a 30-player shortlist, with each position carrying a designated points value.
The player accumulating the highest points total claims soccer's most coveted individual honor.
In previous years, winners have been leaked and/or notified prior to the ceremony. Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid famously boycotted the 2024 event after learning in advance that the Brazilian had lost the Ballon d'Or to Rodri.
"The integrity of the Ballon d'Or is an absolute priority for France Football," a Ballon d'Or spokesperson told The Athletic in response to the insider trading allegations. "We wish to reaffirm that the winner is chosen through an independent voting process.
"Rest assured that we take these allegations of leaked results and potentially fraudulent betting with the utmost seriousness. Investigations are currently underway to establish the facts and identify any potential responsibility.
"We are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the appropriate police authorities. As investigations remain ongoing, no further information can be disclosed at this time."