France Football says Ballon d'Or winners do not need to come from a European club, a rule change that has existed since 2007. The organiser made the point on Sunday as debate sharpened during the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Since 2007, there’s been no restriction: the Ballon d’Or rewards the best player in the world, full stop.” France Football also said, “Yes, it’s entirely possible to win the Ballon d’Or without playing for a European club.”
1956 to 2007
France Football said the award began in 1956 for the best European player competing in a European league, then opened to players of all nationalities in 1995 as long as they played in Europe. The final club-based limit fell in 2007, which is the part many readers miss when they assume the prize still follows club geography.
That matters because the Ballon d'Or now operates as a season award, judged from August 1 to July 31 since 2022. The organiser’s wording pushes the prize closer to a pure individual ranking, not a club-location test, even if the public conversation still treats European clubs as the default route to the trophy.
Messi at Inter Miami
France Football said Lionel Messi was already playing for Inter Miami on October 30, 2023, when he lifted the Ballon d'Or at the 67th ceremony. The organiser said his 2023 victory reflected performances during the 2022/23 season, when he played for Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami.
That is the cleanest example of how the rule works in practice: the winner can be based outside Europe at the moment of the ceremony, while the form that counted was built earlier. France Football also said only one men’s winner had been based outside Europe when lifting the award, which is why the club-neutral rule and the history of European winners can both be true at once.
Rodri, Ousmane Dembélé
Recent winners have still reinforced the old assumption. France Football cited Rodri of Manchester City as the 2024 winner and Ousmane Dembélé of PSG as the 2025 winner, both from clubs in Europe, which keeps the public picture tilted toward European leagues even after the restriction disappeared.
France Football said it is “entirely possible to win the Ballon d’Or without playing for a European club,” and added, “Nothing is impossible when it comes to the Ballon d’Or. Anyone, regardless of their league, can technically claim it.” The unresolved point now is the women’s side of that history: which women’s winner was based outside Europe when she won, according to France Football.
