Ballon d'Or 2026: Flamengo up for club of the year, 5 finalists | OneFootball

Flamengo makes the shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Club of the Year award, alongside clubs such as PSG (FRA) and Arsenal (ENG)

Flamengo has been named among the five nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Club of the Year award, organized by French magazine France Football and UEFA. This Tuesday (08), the names of the finalists were announced, and Mengão appears alongside major European football clubs and a Nordic surprise.

WHO ARE FLAMENGO’S RIVALS IN THE RACE?

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) are the current holders of the award and are aiming for back-to-back titles. The French club won the Champions League last season and comes in as one of the favorites.

Arsenal (ENG), managed by Mikel Arteta, are also in contention for the honor. After a 22-year wait, the London side won the English Championship. In addition, the team reached the Champions League final but lost to PSG itself on penalties.

Bayern Munich (GER) complete the group of European giants on the list. Bundesliga champions, the German side stood out for their attacking strength this season, led by Harry Kane. The English striker is also in the running for the world’s best player award.

Bodo/Glimt (NOR), meanwhile, are the surprise among the five finalists. The Norwegian club gained international attention by beating favored opponents in the Champions League, including Atlético de Madrid (ESP) and Manchester City (ENG).

FINALISTS:

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR THE CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD?

The award does not consider only the number of trophies won during the season. The organizers also evaluate sporting performance, memorable moments, campaigns that exceeded expectations, and fair play.

WHY IS FLAMENGO AMONG THE FINALISTS?

Flamengo enters the race after a historic 2025 season. The Rio club won the Copa Libertadores for the third time in six years, as well as the Brazilian Championship. As a result, the team’s performances during the year secured its place among the world’s top clubs.

Under Filipe Luís, the Mais Querido won four titles that season: the Campeonato Carioca, the Supercopa do Brasil, the Brasileirão, and the Libertadores. As such, Mengão ended the year with the highest number of trophies in a single season in the club’s history.

In addition to their domestic and continental titles, Flamengo also drew attention on the international stage. At the Club World Cup in the United States, the team topped its group and beat Chelsea (ENG). Their run ended only with elimination against Bayern Munich in the round of 16.

In the Intercontinental Cup, Rubro-Negro reached the final against PSG itself. The match ended 1-1 after regular time and extra time, and the winner was decided only on penalties, with the red-and-black side losing. Even so, the performance against the French club reinforced the international scale of the campaign.

In the Libertadores, the road to the title included an uneven group stage and tough knockout opponents. Flamengo eliminated Internacional, Estudiantes (ARG), and Racing (ARG), beat Palmeiras in the final, and won the fourth continental title in its history. In the Brasileirão, Filipe Luís’s side also got the better of its São Paulo rival in the battle for the top of the table and claimed its ninth national title. Altogether, Mengão played 79 official matches in 2025 and won 49 of them.

IS FLAMENGO THE SECOND BRAZILIAN FINALIST IN HISTORY?

Until now, only Botafogo had reached the finalists’ list before Flamengo, in 2025, after winning the Brasileirão and the Libertadores in 2024. In that edition, the Rio club was the Brazilian representative. Barcelona (ESP), Chelsea, and Liverpool (ENG) completed the list, and PSG took the award.

The Club of the Year category has existed since 2021. Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid (ESP), and PSG have already won the honor in previous editions. Now, Flamengo is trying to become the first Brazilian club to win the category.

WHEN WILL THE WINNER BE ANNOUNCED?

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26. Flamengo will therefore face heavyweight rivals from European football, as well as Bodo/Glimt’s surprising campaign.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.