In each of the six regions of our contest model, a selection of entries per category will first be made by a regional jury, chaired by the regional jury chair.
The juries are made up of professionals from and/or working in the region they are judging, who are well-equipped to place the stories into a cultural, political and social context.
Once the regional juries have made their selection of entries, the global jury, composed of the six regional jury chairs and one additional member, the global jury chair, decides on the 2026 World Press Photo Contest winners. From those, they will then choose the World Press Photo of the Year and the two finalists.
The global jury is assisted by a secretary. The secretary is responsible for all procedural matters and ensures the rules and procedures are fairly and properly applied. The secretary does not contribute to debate on the merits of any entry, and has no vote in the balloting.
Regional juries
Global jury
Global jury chair
Kira Pollack,
United States,
Photo Director and Curator, Harvard Shorenstein Center fellow
Asia Pacific and Oceania jury chair
Yasuyoshi Chiba,
Japan,
Chief photojournalist for Indonesia and East Timor, AFP
Europe jury chair
Silvia Omedes,
Spain,
Director, Photographic Social Vision Foundation
North and Central America jury chair
Marie Monteleone,
United States,
Senior photo editor, Bloomberg News
South America jury chair
Gael Almeida,
Mexico,
Executive director for Latin America, National Geographic Society
"At a time when truth feels increasingly fragile and contested, visual journalism stands as one of our most powerful tools for bearing witness and creating understanding. Photography has a unique ability to transcend language and borders, to shift perspectives, and to move policymakers and public alike toward action. The work of photojournalists around the world—often done at great personal risk—has never been more vital to our collective understanding of reality. I'm honored to serve as Global Jury Chair for the 2026 World Press Photo Contest, and I look forward to engaging with the exceptional work submitted from every corner of the globe, and to the thoughtful conversations with our distinguished jury members as we recognize the photographers who are shaping how we see and comprehend our world." - Kira Pollack, 2026 Contest global jury chair
