The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held outside France for the first time, at the Palladium Theatre in London. The venue was chosen to honour the birthplace of Stanley Matthews, who won the first award in 1956. Matthews was an English winger who played mostly for Stoke City and Blackpool between 1932 and 1965. He won 54 England caps and was knighted in 1965 while still an active player. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe are among the frontrunners for this year's award.
Harry Kane has been named the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or winner at a gala held at the Palladium Theatre in London. He becomes the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001. Alexia Putellas won the women's award, her third. It was the first time the ceremony was held outside France, marking 70 years since Stanley Matthews, the first winner, received the trophy. Lamine Yamal was named the Kopa Trophy winner for the men's young player category.
Singer Chris Brown has been given an eight-month sentence, suspended for a year, for attacking a music producer with a tequila bottle at a London nightclub. Brown pleaded guilty to affray over the February 2023 attack at Tape, a private club in Mayfair. Video shown in court captured Brown striking Abraham Diaw twice in the head with a bottle. Judge Tony Baumgartner said Brown did not qualify for a custodial sentence, citing his guilty plea, stable employment and charity work. Brown's lawyer said he apologised to everyone at the club that night.
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Comedian Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, facing rape and sexual assault charges. He denies the allegations. A woman known as Ms E told the court that Brand raped her at his Hampstead home after they met at a 2009 show. She said the sex began consensually but became non-consensual. Brand's barrister challenged her account and argued she had consented. The defence is expected to open its case next week.
A woman has told a London jury that comedian Russell Brand raped her at his home in 2009 and treated her like an animal. Brand, 51, faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault involving six women. He has denied all the charges. The woman, who was 21 at the time, said she went to his home expecting consensual sex and that it turned non-consensual. Under cross-examination, she said she did not consent and that she did not report the alleged assault to police at the time. The trial continues.
A woman told police that comedian Russell Brand anally raped her after she had gone to his home for sex, and that she had asked him to stop. The interview was played to a London court on Tuesday, where Brand is on trial. He faces charges including rape and sexual assault involving six women between 1999 and 2009. Brand, who is 51, denies the allegations. Another complainant told the court that Brand molested her at a radio station, and a sixth woman alleged he assaulted her while she worked at a Channel 4 studio. The trial continues on Wednesday.
A woman has told a London court that Russell Brand pinned her against a wall and kissed her at a radio station in the mid-2000s. The woman, who gave evidence at Southwark Crown Court, said Brand laughed afterwards and that others present did not intervene. Brand, 51, denies three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault. He says the encounters were consensual. The trial continues.
A woman has told a London court that actor and comedian Russell Brand grabbed her breasts and then dragged her into a toilet at a bar, where she alleges he orally raped her. Brand, who is on trial for three counts of rape and other offences against six women between 1999 and 2009, denies the allegations. The woman said the assault happened in 2004, shortly after she met him at a party, and told police she froze. Brand's lawyer, Ian Winter, said the alleged incident did not happen. The trial is expected to last around six weeks.
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson is due to stand trial in London on charges of harassing two MailOnline journalists. Robinson, 43, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, faces two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber. The charges relate to messages sent through his X account between August 5 and 7, 2024. Prosecutors allege he made a threatening phone call to Young and sent Dirnhuber a message saying he would be knocking at his door. Robinson entered not guilty pleas in July 2025. The trial begins on Monday at Southwark Crown Court.
NFL official Larry Smith was taken off the field on a cart after slipping during the Texans vs. Jaguars game in London. The incident occurred in the first quarter, causing a delay as trainers attended to him. Smith, a middle school principal from Kansas, is in his second year as an NFL official. The game continued with six officials instead of seven.
Houston beat Jacksonville 34-31 at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, with a 49-yard field goal from Ka'imi Fairbairn as time expired. Marvin Harrison Jr. made his debut for the Texans, catching three passes for 34 yards. C.J. Stroud threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, while Houston's running game added 114 yards. Trevor Lawrence threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns for Jacksonville, which mounted a late comeback led by Travis Hunter.
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault, relating to six women over a 10-year period from 1999. His trial opened at Southwark Crown Court in London this week. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told the jury that Brand was a ruthless and manipulative sexual predator. Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, has said the accusers have re-imagined events. The trial is expected to last at least six weeks.
A lecture on the Cheapside Hoard, a collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery, will be held in Tewantin on Saturday, October 24. Speaker Amanda Herries will discuss the treasure's history and its importance to trade. The hoard was found in 1912, when a workman broke into a London cellar that had been sealed for 270 years. It contains nearly 500 gemstones and precious objects from many parts of the world and will go on permanent display at London Museum's new Goldsmiths' Gallery next month.
Actor and comedian Russell Brand has appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London for the start of his trial on historical sex offences. Brand, 51, faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault relating to six women between 1999 and 2009. He has denied all the allegations. Judge Joel Bennathan told potential jurors the trial is expected to last about six weeks and warned them not to research the defendant. A pool of 20 potential jurors was selected, to be reduced to 14 on Tuesday.
A charity is planning a 200km green corridor of trees around the edge of London, designed to protect greenbelt land and boost biodiversity. The London Tree Ring project, led by CPRE London, will invite community groups, schools and landowners to plant trees and look after green spaces over the next 25 years. The project is set for an official launch on 15 October. Early test sites include a hedgerow revival that planted disease-resistant elm, a species almost wiped out in the 1960s and 1970s, and a microforest in Sutton.
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The Jacksonville Jaguars have played 14 games in London since 2013, the most of any NFL team. Their record stands at 7-7, with both the most wins and losses in international games. The Jaguars have hosted 12 of these games as the designated home team, including back-to-back matches in 2023. They are scheduled to play the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans in London in 2026. The team's next two London games are set through 2027, likely adding more unique opponents to their list.
Pop star Ayra Starr will perform at halftime of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The NFL says the choice reflects its push for global growth. Tim Tubito, the league's senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment, said African music has been central to London's music scene for years. Starr, who was born in Benin and raised in Nigeria, is a 24-year-old African pop star. She has been nominated for two Grammys, including in 2026 for Best African Music Performance.
Nigerian singer Ayra Starr will perform at the halftime show of the Eagles vs. Jaguars NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The 24-year-old Beninese-Nigerian artist is a two-time Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance. She released her third studio album, Starrgirl, in August. NFL officials praised her connection with fans in London and said African music has been central to the city's music scene for years. Her most-streamed song on Spotify is Santa.
