The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, featuring a historic shift toward gender equality in football awards.
For the first time in the award’s history, an equal number of honors will be presented to male and female players, organizers France Football and UEFA announced on Monday.
New categories introduced this year include Best Women’s Goalkeeper, Best Young Women’s Player, and Top Women’s Scorer (across club or national competitions). These additions bring the total to six awards each for male and female players. The Socrates Award, recognizing humanitarian contributions, remains open to players of all genders.
Nominees for all categories will be revealed in early August.
The move follows criticism of the 2023 edition, which saw Real Madrid boycott the ceremony after Vinicius Junior was overlooked for Best Men’s Player—an award that ultimately went to Manchester City’s Rodri.
Organizers say this year’s ceremony aims to be more inclusive and representative of global football talent, setting a new standard for recognition in the sport.
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