Hankook Tire backs Ballon d’Or ceremony for third straight year; fans who vote on their pick for the winner entered in a draw for a London invitation

[Financial News] Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) said on the 20th that it would sponsor the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, to be held in London, United Kingdom, on the 26th (local time), for the third year in a row.
This year’s ceremony, marking the 70th anniversary of the award’s founding, will be held in London for the first time. Hankook Tire’s brand logo will appear on the red carpet and at the venue. In addition, fans who take part in a vote predicting the winner by the 21st will be entered in a draw. Those selected will attend the ceremony with one guest and receive a one-night hotel stay in London.
The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the football player who displayed the strongest individual ability in the preceding season. It was established in 1956 by the French soccer magazine France Football. Since 2024, France Football, part of the L’Équipe Group, has presented the award jointly with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
This year’s ceremony will be held at the Palladium Theatre in London. Hankook Tire said that holding the ceremony in London this year was intended to honor Stanley Matthews, a former England international who was the award’s first recipient in 1956. The ceremony will announce the new recipient who will follow last year’s winners, Aitana Bonmatí and Ousmane Dembélé.
Hankook Tire will display the Hankook brand logo on the red carpet and in key areas of the venue, and conduct marketing activities through its global official social media channels and other platforms.
A fan participation event is also planned. Fans who predict and vote for this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or winner on the “Hankook Tire X Ballon d’Or” event page by the 21st will be entered automatically. Those selected will receive VIP tickets to attend the ceremony as special guests of Hankook Tire, with one companion, as well as a voucher for a one-night stay at a premium hotel in London.
Hankook Tire also has partnerships with the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League, Borussia Dortmund, Al-Ittihad, Al Ain FC, the Qatar Stars League and the 2026 Gulf Cup, among others.
In motorsports, Hankook Tire is also the exclusive supplier of racing tires across all classes of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). At the season-ending Rally Italia Sardegna, held on the 4th (local time), Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Elfyn Evans claimed the first drivers’ championship of his career.
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter