World Press Photo Contest 2027

The World Press Photo Contest is the best-known annual competition for photojournalism and documentary photography. Run by the World Press Photo Foundation in Amsterdam, it recognises the most important visual stories of the past year. The 2027 contest is free to enter and open to professional photographers from all over the world. Entries open at 13:00 CET on 1 December 2026 and close at 13:00 CET on 13 January 2027.

Winners are shown in a travelling exhibition that reaches more than four million visitors in over 60 cities every year.

Prizes and Benefits

• €1,000 for each winner, and an additional €10,000 for the Photo of the Year
• A Fujifilm X Half camera, and Fujifilm GFX cameras and lenses for the Photo of the Year winner and two finalists
• A trip to Amsterdam for the winners' programme, with portfolio reviews, workshops and the award ceremony
• A physical award for every winner
• The travelling exhibition, shown in more than 60 cities
• The yearbook, published in six languages with a worldwide distribution of over 30,000 copies
• Publication on the foundation's website and social media, with over two million followers

Who Can Enter World Press Photo?

The contest is free and open to all professional photographers working in photojournalism and/or documentary photography. It recognises work produced over the last year, and the foundation welcomes a multiplicity of stories and a diverse range of photographers from every region. The full entry rules, including categories and the period in which work must have been made, are published when entries open.

How the Contest Works

The contest is judged by independent juries. Entries are considered by region, so that the strongest stories from every part of the world are recognised, and a global jury then chooses the overall winners, including the Photo of the Year. Accuracy and ethics are central: entrants must follow the contest's code of ethics, and work is checked before winners are announced.

How to Enter

Create an account on the World Press Photo website and submit your work during the entry period. Sign up for the foundation's announcements to receive the full rules and the entry link when the 2027 contest opens on 1 December. Read the rules and the FAQs carefully before uploading, especially the requirements on captions, manipulation and file formats.

Preparing Your Entry

Choose work that tells an important story from the past year with clarity and visual strength. Write accurate, complete captions: who, what, where, when and why. Keep your original files ready, as the foundation may ask for them to verify your images. Edit series carefully, so that every image adds something to the story.

Why Enter?

Winning brings international visibility unmatched by most competitions, through the exhibition, the yearbook and press coverage around the world. Because entry is free, any working photojournalist or documentary photographer with strong work from the past year should consider entering.

Before the Window Opens

The entry period is only six weeks long, and it runs over the end-of-year holidays, so prepare in November. Make a shortlist of your strongest work from the year, gather caption information while it is fresh, and back up your original files. If you plan to enter a story, edit it down early and ask a trusted editor or colleague to review the sequence.

Things to Consider

• Free to enter.
• Professional photojournalists and documentary photographers.
• Short window: six weeks.
• Deadline: 13 January 2027, 13:00 CET.

Enter the Contest

Have a story the world should see?

Enter the World Press Photo Contest

Dates, rules and the entry link are on the foundation's website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 4, 2026