Ballon d'Or is perhaps the greatest individual award in football, with the winner considered the best player in the world at the time.

The annual award by French weekly magazine named France Football is given to the best footballer of the year. While it was started exclusively for men, currently the award is presented to both men and women.

England's Stanley Mathews was the first recipient of this award in 1956 while Argentina's Lionel Messi has received the award on the most number of occasions, a record seven times.

Between 2010 and 2015, France Football had entered into an agreement with FIFA to merge the Ballon D'or temporarily with the FIFA World Player of the Year award which was started in 1991.

In those six years, the new award was called FIFA Ballon d'Or. While LaLiga has produced the most Ballon d'Or winners, only two clubs from Spain have had their players win the coveted award.

La Liga has also had the most number of awards courtesy of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Let's take a look at which league has produced the most Ballon d'Or winners.

Major League Soccer: 1

Clubs: Inter Miami

No. of players: 1

No. of wins: 1 player: Lionel Messi (1)

Ligue 1: 1

Clubs: PSG, Marseille

No. of players: 2

No. of wins: 2 Players: Lionel Messi (1), Jean-Pierre Papin (1).

Premier League: 7

Clubs: Manchester United, Blackpool, Liverpool

No. of players: 7

No. of wins: 7

Players: Cristiano Ronaldo (1), Denis Law (1), Bobby Charlton (1), George Best (1), Michael Owen (1), Stanley Mathews (1), Rodri (1)

Bundesliga: 9

Clubs: Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Monchengladbach

No. of players: 6

No. of wins: 9

Players: Franz Beckenbauer (2), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (2), Gerd Muller (1), Kevin Keegan (2), Matthias Sammer (1), Allan Simonsen (1).

Serie A: 18

Clubs: Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan

No. of players: 14

No. of wins: 18

Players: Omar Sivori (1), Paolo Rossi (1), Michel Platini (3), Roberto Baggio (1), Zinedine Zidane (1), Pavel Nedved (1), Gianni Rivera (1), Ruud Gullit (1), Marco van Basten (3), George Weah (1), Andriy Shevchenko (1), Kaka (1), Ronaldo (1).

La Liga: 24

Clubs: FC Barcelona, Real Madrid

No. of players: 13

No. of wins: 24

Players: Lionel Messi (6), Johan Cruyff (2), Luis Suarez (1), Rivaldo (1), Ronaldinho (1), Hristo Stoichkov (1), Cristiano Ronaldo (5), Alfredo Di Stefano (2), Raymond Kopa (1), Luis Figo (1), Fabio Cannavaro (1), Luka Modric (1), Karim Benzema (1)

FIFA is reportedly considering the possibility of arranging a one-game play-off between Major League Soccer (MLS) club Los Angeles FC and Liga MX giants Club America to decide which team will represent the expelled Club Leon at the 2025 Club World Cup.  

🤯🇲🇽 BREAKING: FIFA has drawn up plans to hold a one-game playoff between Club America and LAFC to determine a replacement team for Club Leon at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. 🇺🇸🏆

Via @lizzy_becherano - @espn pic.twitter.com/ZVFSfcZPZ6

— All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) March 30, 2025

A FIFA spokesperson disclosed on Sunday that the organization is actively weighing the feasibility of this play-off match, whereas the winner of this playoff would also receive $9.55 million in prize money given by FIFA to teams qualified from the Concacaf zone.

However, FIFA's consideration does not include the Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense after the club lodged a complaint in 2024, which led to Leon's subsequent removal from the tournament.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

The controversial exclusion of Club Leon

Costa Rican outfit Alajuelense’s complaint regarding the multi-ownership issue initiated the investigation by the FIFA Appeal Committee back in November 2024, which eventually led to Club Leon’s exclusion.

FIFA announced the decision to expel the Mexican side Club Leon from the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup 2025 last week due to the club's shared ownership with Pachuca, another team that competes in Mexico's top division, Liga MX.

TODOS LO GANAMOS, JUNTOS LO DEFENDEMOS.

Más unidos que nunca.#SerFieraEsUnOrgullo 🦁 pic.twitter.com/BEXp7VbCjl

— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 31, 2025

Pachuca also qualified for the Club World Cup after winning the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, while Club Leon earned its qualification after clinching the 2023 edition of the same tournament. However, Grupo Pachuca owns both the teams and holds stakes in Spanish side Real Oviedo and some other clubs as well.

This joint ownership violated the multi-club ownership requirements defined under Article 10, paragraph 1 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Regulations outlined by FIFA.

FIFA is considering a play-off game to replace Leon

According to different sources, FIFA is considering an unconventional approach to organize a single play-off game to determine which team would replace Club Leon in the competition.

Renowned football journalist Ben Jacobs has indicated a showdown between Club America and Los Angeles FC is on the cards, with the winner securing the coveted last place in the Group D, consisting of Chelsea, Flamengo, and Esperance.

The FIFA spokesperson stated the following on Sunday:

LAFC would participate as runner-up to Club Léon in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League through which Club Léon had qualified, Club América would participate as the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking through which qualification is also determined.

The winner of the play-off would qualify unless legal proceedings rule otherwise.

The plans to commence the process of arranging a play-off will begin if Club Leon loses their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be reinstated to the Club World Cup.

CAS has called for a hearing on April 23 in Madrid, Spain, where Leon and Deportiva Alajuelense both will be presented the opportunity to put forward their arguments. Alajuelense had previously filed the complaint at CAS, asserting that León's inclusion was against FIFA regulations as they have also claimed a spot in the tournament instead.

Read Also | Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense demand Club World Cup spot following Club Leon's exclusion

Both clubs must submit their legal documents by April 2, prior to the hearing on the 23rd. Any announcements concerning a possible substitute will likely not be made until the legal issues are settled.

"I think it's a grave injustice": James Rodriguez expressed his disappointment

The exclusion of Club Leon has heavily affected the Mexican side's talisman player, the Colombian star James Rodriguez. The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder did not hesitate to express his disappointment regarding this decision. He said:

I think it's a grave injustice. We all believe that. We won on the pitch. The club and the players are hurt by this. If we're out, it's not fair. The team that would replace us would be stained, and football would be stained.

So many fans have planned to travel to the tournament; how do you tell them that they can't go? I have a lot of questions about all this. It's odd. I think FIFA has to get their things together. Football is stained by this. 

ESPN revealed that when asked about qualifying for the tournament, Club América head coach Andre Jardine assured his team's eagerness to earn the spot by battling on the field. According to him:

León should go to the Club World Cup. I'm sad for the institution, and I'd like them to find a solution so they can go,

"If it doesn't happen, then América has been doing things well for a long time. It's true that they haven't yet won the Concacaf Champions Cup, which is a dream of ours and a very clear objective.

"We're leading most of the Mexican tournaments and the Concacaf ranking, which is one of the criteria. If you ask me if I want to go to the Club World Cup, of course it's true, but I'd like to go to the Club World Cup by achieving it on the field. That's what we're working towards.

However, nothing has been finalized yet, and FIFA will also have to wait until the CAS hearing is able to curve out any solutionary measure. 

Read Also | FIFA announce Club World Cup 2025 prize money: USD 1 billion pool, winner to get record USD 125 million

FIFA has announced a lucrative financial reward for the 32 participating teams in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025, set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.

The ultimate governing body of the football world had already announced a whopping USD 1 billion prize pool for the tournament earlier. On March 27th, Wednesday, FIFA confirmed that the champions of the newly-structured global club competition can take home a record prize money of USD 125 million.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

FIFA has also announced a solidarity plan to elevate the current financial status of football around the globe, as FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the target of an additional 250 million USD being provided to club football across the world.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Prize money distribution

FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the financial rewards and the solidarity programme to help club football in a statement on Wednesday. Infantino stated the following:

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 prize money has been announced.

The winners will earn up to 125 USD million, with USD 1 billion of prize money going to the 32 participating clubs and a target of USD 250 million in solidarity for club football across the world. Critically, all revenue will be distributed to club football with FIFA’s reserves remaining untouched.

The distribution model of the FIFA Club World Cup reflects the pinnacle of club football and represents the biggest-ever prize money for a football tournament comprising a seven-match group stage and playoff format.

In addition to the prize money for the participating teams, there is an unprecedented solidarity investment programme which will undoubtedly provide a significant boost in our ongoing efforts in making football truly global.

Finally, FIFA will neither retain any funding for this tournament, as all revenues will be distributed to club football, nor will it touch FIFA’s reserves, which are set aside for global football development through the 211 FIFA Member Associations.

The prizes for the tournament will continue to increase as performance bonuses are paid, with a total of $475 million being divided according to the teams' performances. This will mean that the team who has the most wins in a possible seven matches will be able to take a share of a maximum prize fund of $125 million.

The format of this tournament has been professionally structured by FIFA along with the European Club Association (ECA) so that due payment can be made based on the stature and success of the teams taking part. Therefore, the competition will become the richest club tournament ever arranged in a seven-match format.

Significantly, top European teams will get a minimum of $40 million, with South American teams getting $15.21 million. Teams from CONCACAF, CAF, and AFC will all get at least $9.55 million, while Oceania teams will receive $3.58 million.

The Australian Professional Footballers Union has slammed FIFA after the governing body awarded 2034 World Cup hosting rights to Saudi Arabia following the conclusion of the FIFA Congress on 11 December 2024.

The Union did not welcome the decision and mentioned the severe human rights issues that are at risk in the Gulf nation. They also questioned FIFA's ability and readiness to prevent the continuation of human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. 

The official statement

Professional Footballers Australia head Beau Busch stated the following in an email to Reuters:

The significant human rights risks linked to this tournament are well-documented,

By securing hosting rights to the global game’s most prestigious event, Saudi Arabia and FIFA must ensure the rights of everyone affected by the 2034 Men’s World Cup are upheld and safeguarded.

However, FIFA’s ongoing governance failures and lack of accountability to its own human rights commitments leave no assurance that harm can or will be prevented.

Read Also | Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid: FIFA is reportedly overlooking reports on human rights abuses

The discussions

The awarding of the 2034 FIFA World Cup hosting rights to Saudi Arabia has sparked controversy in a never-seen manner, as human rights activists, including the Australian Association and LGBTQ activists, have all expressed concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights records.

Additionally, migrant worker groups and trade unions have also raised alarms about the potential exploitation of workers in the World Cup after the issues that were raised years before the Qatar World Cup commenced in 2022. According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia has denied accusations of human rights abuses and said that it protects its national security through its laws.

This is not the first time that people related to Australian football have been vocal critics of human rights issues around the globe. Australian national men's football team released a video message condemning Qatar's record on human rights and LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Football Australia, the governing body of Australian football, supported the players' stance and later objected to Saudi Arabia's sponsorship of the 2023 Women's World Cup, citing concerns over the kingdom's human rights record.

A message from the Socceroos. pic.twitter.com/Sd2R6ej8kK

— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) October 26, 2022

However, after Qatar in 2022, another World Cup in West Asia will disrupt the traditional football calendar just like it did in 2022. Saudi will supposedly host the World Cup in November-December of 2034 which will significantly affect the footballers. Qatar hosted 32 teams for the 2022 World Cup, but Saudi will host 48 teams as the grand event will need a more expanded and flexible timeframe to organize.

Spain will compete against Morocco to acquire the honour of hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup final. Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, and Camp Nou in Barcelona are the frontrunners for Spain. In contrast, Morocco is vouching for the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca which is yet to be constructed. 

The scenario

Spain, Portugal, and Morocco's joint bid 'YallaVamos' has clinched the 2030 FIFA World Cup hosting rights following FIFA's official announcement on 11 December 2024. Centenary celebration matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay as FIFA confirmed on the same day following the conclusion of FIFA's virtual assembly meeting. 

However, the venues and stadiums for the 2030 World Cup are far from being decided yet, but hosting the world cup final is an honour in itself. That is why two of the host nations, Spain and Morocco have already joined in races to bring the grand World Cup final event to their country. Morocco aims to host the final in the Hassan II Stadium, which is yet to be constructed but is planned to have a capacity of hosting 115000 spectators. 

🚨🚨💣BREAKING: La maquette officielle du stade Hassan II de Benslimane (Casablanca) 🏟️

Il sera le plus grand et le plus beau stade du monde, avec une capacité d’environ 118 000 places.

𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 🇲🇦🤯 #WC2030 pic.twitter.com/QfvbFgosK2

— FRMF Xtra (@FRMFXtra) July 28, 2024

Santiago Bernabeu, the home ground of Real Madrid can hold 78,297 spectators as of now, which must reach the 80000 mark as required by FIFA. Barcelona's beloved Camp Nou stadium is currently under renovation but it will hold 105000 spectators once the constructions are complete. However, the final decision will be made in 2026 and every stadium will receive the required time to match FIFA's commitments. 

FIFA will also have full availability of the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca during the tournament, as the stadium will be under the ownership of the Moroccan Ministry of Sports. In contrast, both the Bernabeu and Camp Nou, owned by Real Madrid and FC Barcelona respectively, will not offer that level of availability due to their business operations within the stadium. This may give the African stadium a certain advantage in the race to host the final.

The tussle between the cities will also be another interesting thing to watch in the discussions to host the opening match of the tournament. Madrid and Barcelona are likely to lock horns off the pitch to host the opening match of the grand event; if they lose the final to Casablanca. Barcelona City Council has already shown interest in securing the opening match hosting rights. 

However, the confirmation of hosting the tournament in Spain after 48 years since the 1982 World Cup, has brought great optimism to every authority and layman in the country. Pilar Alegría, the minister of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports in Spain, has expressed her excitement and expectations after winning the World Cup rights. She stated:

This is magnificent news for sport, society, and the economy. An event that will allow us to showcase to the world the excellent level of organization present in Spain. We are very happy, and today we begin working on this World Cup, which fills us with excitement to host and which will enable us to work together with our neighbors in Portugal and Morocco,

José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, President of the Higher Sports Council also expressed his joy:

This is a milestone that expands the pride of the entire Spanish society. It recognizes our ability to organize top-level sporting events and pays homage to the tradition and footballing success of our country,

The group division draw for the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has just been finished in Zurich, Switzerland as the groups are announced, and the European powerhouses have come to know their fate in the qualifying process. 

UEFA #FIFAWorldCup qualifying groups: locked in. 🔐

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 13, 2024

The qualifying group matches are scheduled to commence in March 2025 and will conclude in November 2025; as 16 European teams will book their tickets to the USA, Mexico, and Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Here are all the details about the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

How did the draw work?

Teams were drawn into 12 groups of four and five teams, with traditional home-and-away matches. From Group A to Group F; each group has 4 teams each, and from Group G to Group L; 5 teams have been drawn into each group.

What were the seedings for the qualifiers draw?

There were five pots where the 55 teams were divided. 

The European qualifiers draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in 5 minutes! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/t8dcGlXnPx

— Football Xtra™ (@FootballXtra0) December 13, 2024

Will there be any play-off matches in the qualifying process?

There will be a play-off round involving 16 teams in total. The 12 group runners-up will participate in the play-offs, along with the four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that did not finish their European Qualifiers group stage in first or second place.

When will the matches take place?

Group stage match dates: March to November 2025

Play-off match dates: 26 & 31 March 2026

How will the UEFA Nations League align with the qualifiers?

The 8 Quarter-finalists of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League have been seeded in Pot 1, as the winners and losers of the Quarter-finals are divided into different groups in the qualifiers. Four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that did not finish their European Qualifiers group stage in first or second place, will also qualify for the play-offs. 

Here are the groups for the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

UEFA European Qualifiers Groups for FIFA World Cup 2026

Group A 

Winner of QF4: Germany/Italy
Slovakia
Northern Ireland
Luxembourg

Group B 

Switzerland
Sweden
Slovenia
Kosovo

Group C 

Loser of QF3: Portugal/Denmark
Greece
Scotland
Belarus

Group D

Winner of QF2: France/Croatia
Ukraine
Iceland
Azerbaijan

Group E

Winner of QF1: Spain/Netherlands
Turkey
Georgia
Bulgaria

Group F

Winner of QF3: Portugal/Denmark
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Armenia

Group G

Loser of QF1: Spain/Netherlands
Poland
Finland
Lithuania
Malta

Group H

Austria
Romania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Cyprus
San Marino

Group I

Loser of QF4: Germany/Italy
Norway
Israel
Estonia
Moldova

Group J

Belgium
Wales
North Macedonia
Kazakhstan
Liechtenstein

Group K

England
Serbia
Albania
Latvia
Andorra

Group L

Winner of QF2:  France/Croatia
Czechia
Montenegro
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar