Barcelona miss the Club of the Year shortlist as Bodø/Glimt make the five

At Barcelona, the end of one season usually marks the beginning of another: the season of explaining how the project has finally turned a corner. This time, that story failed to reach the nominations stage. FC Barcelona’s men’s team are not among the five candidates for the 2026 Club of the Year award presented at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bodø/Glimt, Flamengo and Paris Saint-Germain received the nominations. The Norwegian club made the shortlist; the Spanish champions did not. Barcelona can produce another polished account of progress, identity and restored prestige, but it will not place their name on the official graphic.

A LEAGUE TITLE WAS NOT ENOUGH

Barcelona’s absence is notable. Hansi Flick’s side won La Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals after eliminating Newcastle United. Their European campaign ended with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Atlético Madrid.

That remains a strong season, particularly in domestic competition. The selection panel simply did not consider it one of the five outstanding club campaigns covered by the award.

The trophy is not decided by counting titles alone. Its official criteria also include quality of play, memorable victories, performances beyond expectations, respect and fair play. That broader approach helps explain why a club with Bodø/Glimt’s resources could be selected ahead of one of football’s largest institutions.

BODØ/GLIMT COULD NOT BE IGNORED

The Norwegian champions were not included to provide an unusual name for the poster. Their Champions League campaign produced results that would have looked implausible before the season began.

Bodø/Glimt beat Manchester City 3-1, won 2-1 away to Atlético Madrid and then eliminated Inter with a 5-2 aggregate victory. Their run ended in the round of 16 against Sporting CP. After winning the first leg 3-0, they lost the return match 5-0 after extra time.

Barcelona progressed one round further, but Bodø/Glimt delivered a series of victories far beyond reasonable expectations. The regulations explicitly value that kind of achievement. Apparently, historic results still count for more than having a much larger communications department available to describe every setback as part of the process.

BARCELONA’S WOMEN DO MAKE THE LIST

The omission applies only to the men’s category. FC Barcelona are among the five nominees for Women’s Club of the Year, alongside Bayern Munich, Club América, Manchester City and OL Lyonnes.

The winners will be announced at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on 26 October. In the men’s category, the shortlist contains major trophy winners and one club responsible for the season’s most unlikely European story.

Barcelona had a successful campaign, but not one the panel considered exceptional enough for the final five. Brand recognition may open plenty of doors in football. This particular one remained closed.