{
  "id": 9286588,
  "title": "FULL LIST: 20 African countries to vote for 2026 Ballon d’Or",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/full-list-20-african-countries-to-vote-for-2026-ballon-dor",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T06:42:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/full-list-20-african-countries-to-vote-for-2026-ballon-dor/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Twenty African nations are eligible to participate in the voting process for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, following their inclusion in the top 100 of the FIFA men’s world ranking. France Football, the organizer of the award, states that the jury consists of one representative from each of these top-ranked nations. The 2026 regulations specify that the FIFA ranking in effect at the time of voting lists' publication, on September 8, is the basis for determining the jury members. Each journalist participating in the voting process will select and rank 10 players from the 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or award. The first-ranked player receives 15 points, with the subsequent rankings offering decreasing point values. The 20 African nations represented on the 100-country jury are Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Cameroon, Mali, South Africa, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Gabon, Angola, Uganda, Zambia, Benin, and Morocco. Among these voters, some prominent journalists include Samm Audu from Nigeria, Michael Oti Adjei from Ghana, Inas Mazhar from Egypt, Mark Gleeson from South Africa, and Mustapha Badri from Morocco. The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, where the winner of the men's award for the 2025-26 season will be announced.",
  "summary": "See the full list of the 20 African nations eligible to vote for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, based on their position in the top 100 of the FIFA world ranking. Read More: https://punchng.com/full-list-20-african-countries-to-vote-for-2026-ballon-dor/",
  "key_points": [
    "Twenty African countries eligible to vote for 2026 Ballon d’Or",
    "FIFA ranking in effect on September 8 determines jury members",
    "20 African nations represented on 100-country jury"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The inclusion of 20 African countries in the Ballon d'Or voting process reflects a broader representation of African football voices, potentially influencing the award's outcome and prestige.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Premium Times",
        "title": "INTERVIEW: How African countries can get out of their debt crisis — Development expert Theo Jong",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/interview-how-african-countries-can-get-out-of-their-debt-crisis",
        "published": "2026-09-23T03:38:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "FULL LIST: 20 African countries to vote for 2026 Ballon d’Or",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/full-list-20-african-countries-to-vote-for-2026-ballon-dor-9286626",
        "published": "2026-09-23T06:42:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}