2026 World Press Photo Contest

The annual World Press Photo Contest recognizes the best photojournalism and documentary photography produced over the last year. Enter your work for free for the chance to have it showcased to a global audience and gain international recognition, amongst cash prizes and more.

Entries for the 2026 World Press Photo Contest will open on 1 December 2025 and close on 17 January 2026. We are excited to welcome a multiplicity of stories and a diverse range of photographers from all over the world to enter the contest!

https://www.worldpressphoto.org/contest/

What winners receive

Contest winners

Every contest winner receives:

• A monetary prize of €1,000

• Inclusion in the annual World Press Photo year-long worldwide exhibition

• Inclusion in the annual collectible yearbook, available in multiple languages with a worldwide distribution of more than 30,000 copies

• Publication in the online collection and a personal profile on World Press Photo's website

• Promotion on World Press Photo's platforms

• Invitation to the Winners' Program in Amsterdam 

• A physical award

In addition, winners are often featured in major publications and invited to speak at public events, exhibition openings, and lectures throughout the year.

42 contest winners will be awarded: three Singles, three Stories and one Long-Term Project per region (Africa; Asia-Pacific and Oceania; Europe; North and Central America; South America; and West, Central, and South Asia).

Read more about the categories and regions.

World Press Photo of the Year winner

Out of the 42 winning entries, the global jury will choose the World Press Photo of the Year with two runners up. In addition to receiving their winning prize, the World Press Photo of the Year winner will also receive:

• An additional monetary prize of €10,000 

• FUJIFILM GFX cameras and lenses that will be awarded to the Photo of the Year winner and two runners up

• An additional physical award

https://www.worldpressphoto.org/contest/prizes

About the World Press Photo Foundation

World Press Photo is an independent non-profit organization that champions the power of photojournalism and documentary photography to deepen understanding of the world's complexities, promote dialogue, and inspire action. Founded in the Netherlands in 1955, our annual contest and thematic exhibitions reach millions of people in over 80 locations world-wide each year, and our online work reaches millions more.

We showcase compelling stories to create space for reflection in times of urgency. Amid a fast-changing media landscape influenced by censorship, misinformation, and threats to press freedom, we promote standards of accuracy, authenticity, visual excellence, and ensure diverse perspectives are represented. Our education programs support photographers in reaching these standards, and help the public explore the profound societal impact of photography. We appreciate the support of our strategic partners; the Dutch Postcode Lottery and FUJIFILM.

Before you enter

To get started, make sure you have read the:

• Entry rules: worldpressphoto.org/contest/entry-rules
• Information about the categories: worldpressphoto.org/contest/categories
• Code of ethics: worldpressphoto.org/contest/code-of-ethics
• Guidance on how to write captions: worldpressphoto.org/contest/what-is-required-in-captions
• Technical requirements: worldpressphoto.org/contest/entry-rules/technical-requirements
• Verification process (including manipulation rules): worldpressphoto.org/contest/verification-process

The 2026 World Press Photo Contest is open for entries from 1 December 2025, 13.00 CET until 17 January 2026, 13.00 CET.

To enter the contest, follow these steps:

1. Create your personal Picter account.
2. Register for the 2026 World Press Photo Contest on Picter. This requires your personal data as well as your proof of professional status. If you’re a new entrant (have not entered the contest in the last three years), your registration will be reviewed to ensure it meets our entry rules. We reserve the right to ask for additional information to help clarify your professional status.
3. While your registration is under review, you can already upload your work, add captions, metadata, and other information.
4. Submit your entries before the deadline of 17 January 2026, 13.00 CET.

Find out more information: worldpressphoto.org/contest/how-to-enter

Judging Criteria

Whilst the jury is independent of World Press Photo, the organization provides some criteria to guide and support the jury in the judging process. The organization sets these criteria in order to ensure the selection of accurate and visually compelling photojournalism and documentary photography of the past year, that work towards the organization's mission of connecting the world to the stories that matter.

Without restricting the jury in their deliberations, we ask the jury to consider the following criteria during judging:

• Visual quality: this can include creativity, technical skill and visual style, and the edit of the story (where relevant)

• Story: this refers to the story and/or issues covered in the photographs, its relevance or significance, and the way in which the photographer has chosen to approach the story

• Representation: this refers to the importance of awarding a diverse range of stories and photographers

The organization recognizes that the jury comprises a diverse group of industry experts who each bring relevant knowledge of their regions and insight into different aspects of photojournalism and documentary photography. Therefore whilst the organization sets these criteria, it also gives the jury the freedom to determine and define what makes an entry worthy of an award.

Find out more about the judging process: https://www.worldpressphoto.org/contest/judging-process