The 29-year-oldFrance international was joined by fellow PSG strikers Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the race for the sport's most prestigious individual award.
PSG defenders Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho also made the list along with midfielders Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz.
Ferran Torres, who scored the winner for Spain in the 2026 World Cup final a few weeks before moving from Barcelona to PSG, was also nominated for his feats with Barcelona during their surge to the 2026 La Liga title.
His fellow World Cup winning Spaniards Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Lamine Yamal and Rodri - the 2024 winner - also feature.
Mbappé makes 2026 short list
The France skipper Kylian Mbappé was nominated for a ninth time.
The 27-year-old scored 10 goals in eight matches at the 2026 World Cup as France finished fourth.
Mbappé's haul of 22 goals at three World Cups made himthe most prolific marksman at the 96-year-old. Compatriots Michael Olise, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano were also nominated.
Eight-time winnerLionel Messi made the shortlist for the 17th time. The 39-year-old Inter Miami striker announced his retirementfrom international football last month a few weeks after skippering his side to the 2026 World Cup final.
OL Lyonnes stars nominated
OL Lyonnes' defenders Wendie Renard and Selma Bacha were among the 30 players nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or.
The France internationals were part of the OL Lyonnes squad that won the top flight title as well as the Coupe de France and the inaugural Coupe de la Ligue. OL Lyonnes also reached the final of the Champions League where they lost 4-0 to Barcelona.
France's Eli Junior Kroupi, who plays for Bournemouth, and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery feature in the list of 10 players for the under-21 men's award.
Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise dazzle up front but Maignan makes it possible
Yamal, who won the accolade in 2024 and 2025, also features along with Cubarsí who was deemed the best young player at the 2026 World Cup.
As well as honours for the best male and female players, awards will be presented in London on 26 October to the best male and female teams of the year as well as the best male and female goalkeepers.
Coach of the year award
Luis Enrique, who won the 2025 coach of the year prize for guiding PSG to its first Champions League title as well as the Ligue 1 crown and the Coupe de France trophy, was named in the 2026 list of coaches.
Enrique, 56, steered PSG to the 2026 Ligue 1 title and the 2026 Champions League.
Dembélé scores three against second string Norway as France claim Group I
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will vye with Enrique as well as the Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany for the award after leading Arsenal to their first top flight crown since 2004 and the Champions League final.
(With newswires)
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