Ceremony set for Monday at London Palladium

Brand logo to appear on red carpet, venue

Sports partnerships expanding across Europe, Middle East

[Provided by Hankook Tire & Technology]
[Provided by Hankook Tire & Technology]

Hankook Tire & Technology announced Tuesday it will serve as an official sponsor of the 2026 Ballon d'Or for the third consecutive year.

The ceremony will be held Monday (local time) at the London Palladium in the United Kingdom. The Ballon d'Or is awarded to the footballer who demonstrated the finest individual performance during the previous season and is considered the highest individual honor in the sport.

The award was established in 1956 by French football magazine France Football, and since 2024 has been presented jointly by France Football — part of the L'Equipe Group — and UEFA.

This year marks the award's 70th anniversary, and for the first time in its history the ceremony will be held in London, a tribute to Stanley Matthews, the England national team player who became its first recipient in 1956. The ceremony will reveal the successors to last year's winners, Aitana Bonmatí and Ousmane Dembélé.

Hankook Tire will display its global brand logo "Hankook" on the red carpet and at key areas throughout the venue. The company also plans to run marketing campaigns across its official global social media channels to broaden its reach among football fans worldwide.

A fan event is also on offer. Fans who vote to predict the men's Ballon d'Or winner on the Hankook Tire X Ballon d'Or event page through Wednesday (local time) will be automatically entered into a draw. Winners will receive VIP tickets to attend the ceremony as special guests of Hankook Tire, along with one guest, and a one-night stay at a premium London hotel.

Hankook Tire has been expanding its sports partnerships on the global stage, including with the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Europa Conference League, Borussia Dortmund, Al-Ittihad, Al Ain FC, the Qatar Stars League and the 2026 Gulf Cup, to raise its profile as a premium global brand.

The company sells tires in more than 160 countries through four regional headquarters, more than 30 overseas offices, eight production facilities and five research and development centers. More than 85 percent of its total sales come from overseas markets.


eyre@heraldcorp.com