2026 World Press Photo Contest
Opportunity type: Prize
For: Photojournalists & Documentary Photographers
Deadline: 17/01/2026
Rewards: €10,000 + exhibition + equipment + more
Location Eligibility: Worldwide
About this opportunity
The World Press Photo Contest is an annual international competition recognizing the best photojournalism and documentary photography produced over the previous year. The contest aims to showcase compelling stories, promote dialogue, and celebrate visual excellence. Entries are free and open to photographers worldwide.
Rewards
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
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.
Eligibility
- Open to professional photographers working in journalism and/or documentary photography.
- Photographers do not need a press card, but must provide a valid document confirming their current professional status. A range of documents are accepted; see the entry rules for details.
- Open to entrants worldwide.
- Entries must comply with the contest categories.
- Only original work created within the contest’s eligibility timeframe (past year) may be submitted.
- Photographers must own the rights to the submitted work and follow the World Press Photo Code of Ethics.
- Entries must comply with the categories, as described here.
Entry Fee
Free
How to Apply
Apply using the link: 2026 World Press Photo Contest
All questions regarding this award should be sent to contest@worldpressphoto.org
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