Ballon d'Or 2022 LIVE: Start time, free stream, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland updates

Elite players from across Europe are battling it out to be crowned as the Ballon d'Or winner for 2022.

In a glitzy ceremony held at Theatre du Chalet - in Paris - Manchester United stars Casemiro and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo are among 30 contenders for what is arguably the biggest individual award on the planet. Quite staggeringly, though, there is no room for Lionel Messi on the shortlist this year.

He won his seventh Ballon d'Or in 2021 with Karim Benzema odds-on to pick up this prize. Manchester City will be well represented in Paris, too, as six of their players - including Erling Haaland - are nominated.

After drip-feeding lower placings throughout the afternoon, the main ceremony will take place from 7.30pm when podium spots will be announced. But can anyone usurp Benzema?

Follow our dedicated LIVE blog updates from the Ballon d'Or 2022 ceremony below.

Man City winger Riyad Mahrez has finished 12th, ahead of Borussia Dortmund stirker Sebastien Haller in 13th. Liverpool's Fabinho and Rafael Leao of AC Milan are in joint 14th.

Confirmation as the five-time winner finishes 20th this year.

Announcements should start to slow down as we approach the main event.

From a City perspective, there are still three players to come including Haaland.

But where will the Norway sensation, De Bruyne and Mahrez place?

Ronaldo picked up 18 nominations this year to see him into 20th position.

It's the lowest the five-time winner has ranked since 2005.

We should see Ronaldo at the ceremony itself before he jets back over to Manchester.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has just been confirmed in 16th.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been placed 20th in the Ballon d'Or rankings.

It feels like the end of an era with no Lionel Messi