UEFA to Co-Organize Ballon d’Or from 2024, Introduces New Coach Awards

UEFA has made a groundbreaking announcement that it will be joining forces with France Football to co-organize the prestigious Ballon d’Or from 2024. This iconic award, which recognizes the best male and female footballers in the world, will now benefit from UEFA’s involvement, aiming to elevate its status and global reach.

Groupe Amaury, the owner of France Football, will retain ownership of the Ballon d’Or brand and maintain an independent voting system. However, UEFA will bring its football expertise to the table, handle the global commercial rights, and organize the annual awards gala. This collaboration seeks to foster unity and collaboration within the football community.

In addition to this exciting development, UEFA has also revealed that a new award for the best men’s and women’s coaches will be introduced in 2024. This will be an excellent addition to the existing list of accolades, including the Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Gerd Muller Trophy, Men’s and Women’s Club of the Season Trophy, and the Socrates Award for humanitarian work.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin expressed his enthusiasm for this partnership, highlighting the significance of the Ballon d’Or and UEFA competitions in recognizing sporting excellence. He emphasized how UEFA club and national team competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA EURO, play a crucial role in players’ candidacy for major honors and their place in football history.

This announcement coincides with Lionel Messi’s remarkable achievement of winning a record-breaking eighth men’s Ballon d’Or. The Argentine superstar, who led his country to World Cup glory in December 2022, now holds the most Ballon d’Or titles, with Cristiano Ronaldo as his closest competitor, having secured five.

The future of the Ballon d’Or looks incredibly promising with this collaboration between UEFA and France Football. Football fans around the world can eagerly anticipate the enhanced stature and global impact of these prestigious awards, celebrating the extraordinary skill, dedication, and impact of the game’s legends.