Those who cannot wait to learn the winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or award could reportedly crack a code to find out the victor before anyone else.

After months of humble comments from Harry Kane and shameless campaigning from Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé, France Football will crown soccer’s best men’s player at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday.

Unlike in years past, the competition for the most prestigious individual prize in the sport is wide open. The three aforementioned favorites all have arguments going both in their favor and against them, making the battle for the 2026 Ballon d’Or one of the most exciting and unpredictable in recent memory.

Adding to some of the fun is the race to solve a new puzzle. L’Équipe journalist Loïc Tanzi revealed a recent advertisement for the ceremony has hidden numbers that reveal the winner.

Regardez bien les chiffres. Il y a un code à déchiffrer pour connaître le vainqueur. Niveau très difficile mais pas injouable.…