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The prestigious Ballon d’Or award ceremony is set to take place on September 22, 2024, marking a historic milestone: for the first time, an equal number of awards will be presented to male and female players, organisers announced on Monday.
The event will be held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and co-organised by France Football magazine and UEFA. This year’s edition will introduce several new categories aimed at recognising excellence in the women’s game, including Best Women’s Goalkeeper, Best Young Women’s Player, and Top Women’s Scorer in club or international competitions.
These additions bring the total to six awards each for male and female players, in addition to the Socrates Award, which honors humanitarian or solidarity efforts by any player, regardless of gender.
Nominees for all categories will be announced in early August. The 2023 edition faced controversy when Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony after learning that Vinicius Junior had not received the Best Men’s Player award, which instead went to Manchester City’s Rodri.
The 2024 ceremony is expected to be more inclusive and celebratory, marking a significant step forward in the global recognition of football talent.
