Why PSG won’t attend the Ballon d’Or but favorite Ousmane Dembélé will

Paris Saint-Germain captured their first-ever Champions League title in 2024/25, completing a stunning treble with Ligue 1 and Coupe de France crowns. As a result, it is no surprise that nine members of Luis Enrique’s UCL-winning squad have been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, with attacker Ousmane Dembélé the favorite to win ahead of Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.

Fixture chaos hits PSG Ballon d’Or plans

A major complication has emerged for PSG ahead of the ceremony. The club was scheduled to face bitter rival Marseille away on Sunday, September 21, but the match was postponed because of flood alerts in southeastern France.

Under Ligue 1 rules, games delayed in such circumstances must be played the following day. The rescheduled clash will now kick off at 8 p.m. local time on Monday, September 22, just one hour before the Ballon d’Or ceremony begins.

Key nominees forced to miss ceremony

Achraf Hakimi, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha, all among the 30 nominees for the men’s award, are in the squad for the Marseille game and will not be able to attend the gala. PSG coach Luis Enrique, a candidate for Men’s Coach of the Year, will also be absent because of the scheduling conflict.

Why will Dembélé attend Ballon d’Or ceremony and not OM-PSG

French soccer expert Julien Laurens told ESPN FC that Dembélé is expected to accept the award in person if he wins. The former Barcelona winger is unavailable for selection because of a hamstring injury, as are teammates Désiré Doué and João Neves, who are also nominees.

“He will be in Paris for the Ballon d’Or ceremony,” Laurens said. “Quite a lot of the PSG hierarchy have decided to be in Paris and not in Marseille. They wanted to play the game early tomorrow, at 3 p.m. or 5 p.m., so they could have done both, but the league refused and insisted the kickoff be at the normal evening time.

“They can’t be in two places at the same time, obviously, so I think they will go to be with Dembélé because it’s likely he will win the Ballon d’Or.”

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.