Why PSG will miss the Ballon d’Or gala and what it means for Dembele

Paris Saint Germain players will miss the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday September 22 after Ligue 1 officials rescheduled Le Classique against Marseille to the same night. The awards showpiece will be staged in Paris, but most of Luis Enrique’s squad will be in Marseille instead, preparing for their first clash of the season with their fiercest rivals.

PSG had hoped to celebrate a historic campaign at the Ballon d’Or gala, with several stars among the nominees. Ousmane Dembele, who inspired the club to Champions League glory and was named Player of the Tournament, is the favourite to win the award. PSG's absence for the ceremony has led to speculation that Lamine or Raphinha could claim the trophy, but Dembele remains the heavy favourite to lift it regardless. The 28 year old is sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up on international duty earlier this month, but he is expected to attend the event. Should he win, he will do so without his teammates present.

Enrique was also due to be honoured with the Johan Cruyff Trophy for Best Coach, but he is now unlikely to collect the prize in person. Other PSG nominees include Vitinha, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes, although all are considered outsiders for the Ballon d’Or itself.

The disruption follows the postponement of Sunday’s Le Classique at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, which was called off only six hours before kick off due to extreme weather in the Bouches du Rhone region. The stadium was placed under an orange alert for heavy rain, flooding and thunderstorms, with forecasts predicting up to 120 millimetres of rainfall. In line with league rules, the Ligue de Football Professionnel rescheduled the match for Monday, directly clashing with the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Reports suggest PSG asked for the game to be moved to a later date, but Marseille refused as they must prepare for a Friday fixture against Strasbourg. As a result, Enrique’s men will head into their biggest domestic rivalry of the season focused on extending their perfect start at the top of Ligue 1, while Roberto De Zerbi’s side sit eighth after two wins and two defeats.

This situation is a sharp contrast to the 2024 Ballon d’Or controversy, when Real Madrid players boycotted the ceremony after Vinicius Junior missed out on the prize. That was a deliberate club choice. In PSG’s case, their absence is purely down to circumstance, but the Parisians will regret missing what could be a historic night for the club.