Ecuador Defender Eyes Ballon D’Or on 26 Oct

ECUADOR · SPORT

Willian Pacho, a defender from Ecuador, is one of 30 men up for the Ballon d’Or, football’s best-known individual prize. The winner is announced in London on Monday, 26 October.

Willian Pacho, a centre-back for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Ecuador, is one of 30 men on the 2026 Ballon d’Or list. The winner is named at the London Palladium on Monday, 26 October, Vanguardia reports.

The Ballon d’Or is the sport’s most famous individual prize, created by the magazine France Football. Ecuador’s press says Pacho is only the second Ecuadorian ever nominated, which is why Quito papers are following the vote.

Who Is Willian Pacho

Pacho plays in the heart of defence for PSG, the French club that won the Champions League again this year. Primicias, a Quito news site, and NBC New York report PSG beat Arsenal on penalties in the 30 May final.

He played all 17 of PSG’s Champions League games in 2025-26, Primicias and El Comercio both report. That is 1,560 minutes, the most in the squad, and Primicias also lists a Ligue 1 title.

Ecuador’s only earlier nominee was Édison Méndez, then at PSV Eindhoven, in 2006, Primicias reports. Méndez received no votes that year, when Cannavaro won.

How the Ballon D’Or Vote Works

An international jury of sports journalists picks the winner, Vanguardia reports. It has one voter from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s ranking.

The shortlist has 30 men, Vanguardia and Sports Illustrated both report. Pacho is the only nominee from Ecuador.

Defenders have a hard time winning. Only three have: Franz Beckenbauer in 1972 and 1976, Matthias Sammer in 1996 and Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.

Counting the published names, Pacho is one of nine defenders on this year’s list. Several PSG team-mates are also on the list, including Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi and Vitinha.

Latin Americans and the Stars on the List

Eight of the 30 men come from Latin America, going by the list Vanguardia published. They are Luis Díaz (Colombia), Gabriel, Marquinhos and Vinícius (Brazil), Lautaro Martínez and Messi (Argentina), Pacho (Ecuador) and Julián Quiñones (Mexico).

Messi plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, so the list includes a player from a US club. Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Spain’s Lamine Yamal are the names bettors rate highest.

What Prediction Markets Say

Polymarket’s Ballon d’Or market gives Harry Kane 71%, Mbappé 18.9%, Lamine Yamal 9.3% and Messi about 1% (1:24 p.m. ET, 24 October). The market has drawn about US$62.4 million in bets, the Kane contract alone about US$7.2 million.

Pacho is priced at 0.1%, an asking price with no recorded trades, so the market treats him as a very long shot. These prices are bets, not polls, and the jury’s votes decide the award.

Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What It Means for US Readers

The ceremony is on at 4 p.m. Eastern on Monday, 26 October, with the red carpet at 2 p.m., Sports Illustrated reports. US viewers can watch free by signing up to DAZN, and CBS Sports presenter Kate Scott co-hosts with Thierry Henry.

Messi, who plays in Florida for Inter Miami, is on the list, though the market gives him little chance. The US-hosted World Cup this summer also put Pacho on American pitches.

For more on the country, see the guide to who holds power in Ecuador and the economy guide. The Andes neighbours explainer and the Ecuador hub add context.

What Is Not Known

Nobody outside the jury knows the vote, and the sources give no ranking of Pacho’s chances beyond the market price. The 30 names rest on Vanguardia and Sports Illustrated, because the official site would not open for this check.

Reports differ on PSG’s nominee count and on Pacho’s ball recoveries, so neither figure is used. The US stream and the 4 p.m. Eastern start rest on Sports Illustrated alone.

What Comes Next

The winner is announced on Monday, 26 October at the London Palladium, from 8 p.m. London time, about 4 p.m. Eastern. Britain’s clocks go back on Sunday, 25 October, so the gap to New York is four hours that day.

A win by Pacho would be a major surprise, since the market gives him 0.1%. The sources do not say whether the full top-three order will be published.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony?

It is on Monday, 26 October 2026 at the London Palladium. The official ceremony starts at 8 p.m. in London, about 4 p.m. Eastern.

Who is Willian Pacho?

Pacho is a centre-back for Paris Saint-Germain and Ecuador. He is one of 30 men on the 2026 Ballon d’Or list.

Has an Ecuadorian ever won the Ballon d’Or?

No Ecuadorian has won it. Pacho is the second nominated, after Édison Méndez in 2006, who received no votes that year.

Can a defender win the Ballon d’Or?

Yes, but only three have. They are Franz Beckenbauer, Matthias Sammer and Fabio Cannavaro.

How can US fans watch the Ballon d’Or?

Sports Illustrated reports that US viewers can watch free by signing up to DAZN. The red carpet starts at 2 p.m. Eastern.

Sources: Vanguardia, nominees and voting, 8 September; Primicias, second Ecuadorian nominated; Primicias, Pacho’s season; El Comercio, Pacho’s options; Sports Illustrated, ceremony times and US stream, 20 October; Sports Illustrated, full list of nominees; NBC New York, Champions League final, 30 May (all accessed 24 October 2026).