Postpublished at 19:43 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
The first award of the night is going to be the Kopa Trophy.
Ronaldo and the 2021 winner Pedri are up on stage to have a quick natter about how good it is and all the usual stuff.
Summary
Use play icon at the top of the page to watch live coverage from the 2022 Ballon d'Or ceremony from Paris
England Euro 2022 winners Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze have been nominated for the women's prize.
Fifteen Premier League players - including 12 from Liverpool and Manchester City - are nominated.
Real Madrid and France forward Karim Benzema is among the favourites for the men's prize.
Lionel Messi, current holder and seven-time men's winner, has not been nominated for this year's award
Postpublished at 19:43 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Drogba takes centre stagepublished at 19:40 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Chelsea legend Didier Drogba and former Ivory Coast international takes to the stage along with co-host Sandy Heribert.
And he quickly runs through a tribute to Sheva [Andriy Shevchenko] and Zizou [Zinedine Zidane} and a host of other former Ballon d'Or winners in the crowd.
Postpublished at 19:36 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Right time to get down to business. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli just opening up proceedings with a spot of Nessun Dorma.
Great start.
Changing of the guardpublished at 19:35 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
With Lionel Messi not even making his way down the red carpet this evening, the news that Cristiano Ronaldo has finished 20th means it is the first time since 2006 that neither of the duo have appeared in the top three.
Still with 12 Ballon d'Or's and countless other records shared between them, they not done too badly have they.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:34 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Just a reminder of how things looked this time last year.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:32 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Look at the intricate design on Bukayo Saka's dinner jacket. Top notch from the Arsenal man.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:31 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Ronaldo (the Brazilian one) won the Ballon d'Or twice back in 1997 and 2002. Often wonder how many he'd have picked up but for all his injuries.
Benzema 'deserves this prize'published at 19:30 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Real MadrId and Brazil forward Ronaldo speaking on arrival: "I'm pretty sure that Karim [Benzema] will win.
"He played an amazing season the last season. He deserves this prize. I miss number nines winning this prize. Our position is very important in football."
Nunez and Cancelo finish in joint-25th placepublished at 19:28 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo are among six stars to finish in joint-25th place in the Ballon d'Or rankings after receiving no votes in the final reckoning.
Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich, Christopher Nkunku and Mike Maignan were the other players in the same boat.
Postpublished at 19:25 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Now then there's a rankings reveal under way at present so I'll have a few actual results for you in just a tick.
Large Premier League contingent involvedpublished at 19:24 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
There are 30 players in total nominated for the men's prize - with half of the names on that list playing in this season's Premier League.
The England-based players are Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Casemiro (Manchester United) Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Luis Diaz (Liverpool), Fabinho (Liverpool), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City), Darwin Nunez (Liverpool), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool).
But of course there's no place for the 2021 winner Lionel Messi.
England trio in the running for women's awardpublished at 19:23 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Media caption, Football Focus: Beth Mead "super proud" after Ballon d'Or nomination
England Euro 2022 winners Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze are all up for the Ballon d'Or Feminin, awarded to the best female footballer of 2022.
Mead was named Euro 2022's best player after winning the Golden Boot award given to the tournament's top scorer.
Eyes on the prizepublished at 19:21 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Image source, Getty ImagesThis is the 66th annual ceremony of the Ballon d'Or, presented by France Football, which has gone under a number of different guises over the years.
The nominees for the main prizes here were announced back in August and for the first time ever the results are based on a season rather than exploits over a calendar year.
Will it be Benzema's night?published at 19:19 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Image source, Getty ImagesReal Madrid's Karim Benzema is apparently well fancied to walk off with the Ballon d'Or this evening.
I may be wrong but I don't think the French forward has even finished in the top three before but he won his fourth La Liga title last term and was a huge player for the Spanish side as they won yet another Champions League.
Wouldn't be a bad couple of days for him would it? He scored in Real's 3-1 El Clasico win over Barcelona on Sunday and could now beat off competition from the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mane to bag the prestigious award.
Suited and bootedpublished at 19:18 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:18 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
French Formula One driver Pierre Gasly has just strode up the red carpet and behind him the the whirring and unmistakeable sound of an F1 car can be heard.
Oh hello, the Ballon d'Or trophy arrives in style, strapped to the car.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:12 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Players and dignitaries are still filtering in to the grand setting on the first arrondissement of Paris. But this is my favourite sight of the night so far.
One for the dog lovers among us. Hope there a few tasty treats in the bag to keep him busy.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postGunners trio dressed to thrillpublished at 19:10 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Okay an old James Bond reference but Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead have gone traditional as well as Bukayo Saka.
And they are all pretty exciting to watch when draped in the red and white of Arsenal aren't they.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:09 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Two of the best ever. Albeit probably carrying a few more pounds than in their playing days.
Ronaldo (mark one) and Luis Figo. Absolute legends.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 17 October 2022
Very much on red carpet watch at the minute.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images