Groupe Amaury and UEFA Will Co-organise the Ballon d’Or Awards Starting From 2024
The Ballon d’Or is considered the most prestigious individual award in football, and it has now been announced that Groupe Amaury and UEFA will co-organise this award in 2024. This comes seven years after the partnership between Groupe Amaury and FIFA to co-organise the Ballon d’Or ended.
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This trophy was first awarded in 1956. The winner of the first Ballon d’Or ever was the English international Stanley Matthews. The award ran independently from 1956 to 2009 before entering into its first partnership. From 2010 to 2015, this trophy was co-organised along with FIFA. This award was called the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
After six years, FIFA and Groupe Amaury ended their partnership, and both started giving separate awards. Groupe Amaury continued with the Ballon d’Or while FIFA began the FIFA Best Awards from 2016 onwards. Eight years after the partnership with UEFA ended, it is now UEFA’s turn to co-host the award.
Two New Awards Will Be Added From 2024 Onwards
This partnership between UEFA and Groupe Amaury will see the UEFA Player Of The Year Awards get scrapped. Two new awards for Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year will now be handed out. Lionel Messi won the elusive award for a record 8th time in 2023. This will be the last award before the start of the partnership between UEFA and Groupe Amaury.
Speaking about this topic, UEFA said:
“UEFA will contribute its football expertise, market the global commercial rights and organize the annual awards gala. Together, UEFA and Groupe Amaury aim to enhance the stature and global reach of the awards while fostering a sense of unity and collaboration within the football community.”
The two additional trophies to be awarded in 2024 make the total number of awards handed out 10. The trophies that will be given out in 2024 are the Men’s Ballon d’Or, Women’s Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy, Gerd Muller Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Men’s Club of the Season Trophy, Women’s Club of the Season Trophy, Socrates Award, Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year.
UEFA President Aleksandr Ceferin said:
“For almost 70 years, the Ballon d’Or has stood as the most prestigious individual accolade in the world of football and is a testament to the extraordinary skill, dedication, and impact of the game’s legends and their enduring mark on the sport’s history. UEFA and Ballon d’Or are synonyms of sporting excellence, so our partnership will be a natural blend of prominence and a synergy that promises to be nothing short of exceptional.”