The annual World Press Photo Contest recognizes the best photojournalism and documentary photography produced over the past year. It is free to enter and open to all professional photographers from around the world.
The awarded works, selected by an independent international jury, will be included in the annual exhibition traveling to 60+ locations worldwide, in the annual collectible yearbook, and showcased to a global audience online. Winners also receive a cash prize of up to €11,000, an invitation to the Winners’ Program in Amsterdam, and more.
Entries open: Tuesday 1 December 2026, 13.00 CET
Entries close: Wednesday 13 January 2027, 13.00 CET
Read more about the 2027 World Press Photo Contest including the entry rules, judging process, prizes, and categories.
Photo credit: Annie Wermiel
Photojournalism has never been more vital, or more fragile. Artificial intelligence is blurring what we can trust in an image, and audiences need verified visual truth more than ever. I believe independent journalism holds power to account because it is rooted in what was actually seen. Who stands in front of the lens and who stands behind it shapes what stories are told and I am glad that World Press Photo recognizes regional categories as part of its contest.
Awards matter because they carry important work to new audiences. I hope the World Press Photo Contest can give photojournalists and the public a reference for quality and ethics. I am honored to serve as global jury chair for the 2027 Contest and to spend time with work from every corner of the world. I look forward to healthy debate with my fellow jurors, the kind that leaves us illuminated and nourished. That is the true power of photography: to bear witness, to question, and to help us understand one another.”
– Maye-E Wong, Senior Editor for Wider Image and Special Projects, Reuters, 2027 World Press Photo Contest global jury chair.
The full jury will be announced on 1 December 2026.
Four years ago, the World Press Photo Contest was restructured to reflect a more global perspective. Entries were grouped by region, and regional juries were introduced, ensuring that exceptional news and documentary photography from every corner of the world would be recognized and awarded.
However, the move away from thematic categories has also meant that some areas of photojournalism and documentary photography, such as nature and sports photography, were no longer represented as consistently among the winners.
The introduction of these awards is a response to feedback from World Press Photo’s exhibition audiences and industry partners, who have expressed that they miss seeing nature and sports photography represented among the Contest’s winning work.
Nature and sports photography have long been integral to news and documentary photography. The awards create space to recognize work that explores our relationships with animals and the natural world, as well as the energy, emotion and wider cultural significance of sport.
Key changes:
Three Nature Awards and three Sports Awards will be selected by the jury from Singles and Stories entries submitted across all regions. Neither is a separate submission category, and photographers do not need to enter separately. The six awards will be chosen from eligible entries across the Contest's regions.
Read more about the Nature and Sports Awards for the 2027 Contest.
Nicola Jeffs
nicola@worldpressphoto.org
+447794694754
Rest of the world:
Alexandra Fanning
alex@alexandrafanning.com
(347) 468-0735
Download the media kit.
World Press Photo is an independent non-profit organization that champions the power of photojournalism and documentary photography to deepen understanding, promote dialogue, and inspire action.
Founded in the Netherlands in 1955, our annual and thematic exhibitions reach millions of people in over 80 locations world-wide each year, and our online work reaches millions more. We create space for reflection in times of urgency, while upholding standards of accuracy, authenticity, visual excellence, and diverse perspectives. Our education programs help photographers reach these standards, and members of the public recognize them.
We are thankful for the support of our funders, particularly our strategic partners the Dutch Postcode Lottery and FUJIFILM Corporation.
For more information, visit www.worldpressphoto.org or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky, and YouTube.
.jpg?maxsidesize=900&resizemode=force)
