Ballon d’Or, the revolution!

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By: Manu Tournoux

Ballon d’Or, the revolution!

Just a few days after the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony, the Amaury group announced big changes for the next editions. Consequence of a partnership with UEFA.

Revolution for the Ballon d’Or. The Amaury group, owner of L’Equipe and France Football, creator of the trophy, has indeed announced the signing of a partnership with UEFA to co-organize the award ceremony for the most prestigious individual award from 2024. This partnership is reminiscent of that concluded with FIFA in 2010.

But this time, France Football will continue to organize, alone, the vote at the end of which the big winner is chosen with one hundred journalists from the top 100 nations in the Fifa rankings as voters. On the other hand, UEFA will be responsible for the commercial rights to the Ballon d’Or and will co-organize the ceremony.

To this end, the latter could be exported. “We spoke with Aleksander (Ceferin, UEFA president) about the possibility of doing it from now on in other European capitals. It will not be 2024, because we will stay in Paris for this edition. But subsequently, it may be a possibility to relocate the ceremony”Jean-Étienne Amaury, general manager of the Amaury group, told L’Equipe.

This partnership with UEFA will be the occasion for the creation of two new trophies, those for the best coach for men and women, which will complete the collection since in addition to the Ballon d’Or – women’s and men’s -, are also awarded the Kopa Trophy for best youngster, Yachine Trophy for best goalkeeper, Gerd-Müller Trophy for top scorer, men’s club of the year, women’s club of the year and Socrates Prize rewarding players’ societal or charitable initiatives.

“We are very happy with this partnership to co-organize the Ballon d’Or ceremony. It is a trophy created in 1956 by France Football, the same year as the creation of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, so there is a common history between UEFA and the Ballon d’or trophy, rejoiced Jean-Étienne Amaury. For 15 years, the ceremony has taken on a global scale with worldwide media coverage. So the partnership with UEFA makes perfect sense since it is one of the major players in this sport. »

Manu Tournoux

Written by:

Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.