World Sports Photography Awards 2027

The World Sports Photography Awards 2027 celebrate the best sports photographs of the year. Sponsored by Canon, the awards describe themselves as the largest sports photography competition in the world: across seven editions, thousands of professional and semi-professional photographers have entered more than 60,000 images.

What sets the competition apart is its jury. Instead of a panel of photographers alone, it brings together senior figures from sport, media, technology and photography: picture editors from international agencies and newspapers, leaders of sports organisations and clubs, and representatives of brands. Judges step aside from any category where they have a conflict of interest.

Entry is free, and photographers can submit up to ten images taken during the qualifying year. With 24 sport categories, the competition suits both specialists who follow one sport and generalists who cover many.

Who Can Enter the World Sports Photography Awards 2027?

The competition is open worldwide to professional, semi-professional and amateur sports photographers, and to specialist sports photography agencies. People involved in organising the awards cannot enter. The Canon Emerging Talent Award is reserved for photographers under 25.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Staff and freelance sports photographers
• Agency photographers covering major events
• Club and team photographers
• Amateur photographers shooting local, youth and grassroots sport
• Young photographers building a sports portfolio

What Can You Enter?

Single sports photographs taken between December 2025 and November 2026, in 24 sport categories. The categories include:

• Football and American football
• Formula 1 and motorsport
• Tennis and other racquet sports
• Aquatic sports
• Equestrian
• Martial arts
• Urban extreme sports

The full list of 24 categories is published on the awards website. You can submit up to ten images in total, spread across the categories that suit your work.

Entry Fees

Entry is free of charge.

What Do Selected Entrants Receive?

Prizes are provided by the awards' sponsors, led by Canon. The specific prizes for 2027 had not been announced at the time of writing; check the official website for updates.

• Winning photographers receive global media coverage
• Finalists can be featured in the awards' PR, marketing and social media
• The Canon Emerging Talent Award gives photographers under 25 their own recognition

Submission Requirements

Entries are made online through the awards platform. You need to create an account, give accurate personal details and upload each image to the right category.

File Specifications

• Up to ten images in total
• Up to 10 MB per image
• Each image must have a name in its file name
• Each image must have a short description in its metadata

Important Rules

• Images must have been taken between December 2025 and November 2026.
• AI-generated or synthetic images are not allowed.
• People involved in running the awards cannot take part.
• The Canon Emerging Talent Award requires entrants to be under 25.

When Will Entrants Be Notified?

The jury is made up of senior people from sport, media, brands and photography. The judging panel listed on the awards website includes picture editors from Reuters, the European Pressphoto Agency and The Daily Mail, a senior adviser at Getty Images, the founder of Allsport, leaders of the Chelsea FC Foundation, The R&A and Saracens, and representatives of Canon and Meta. Finalists and winners are announced by the awards after judging; follow the official website and social channels after the deadline.

Things to Consider

• Think beyond the peak action. Juries often reward emotion, atmosphere and behind-the-scenes moments as much as the decisive goal.
• Spread your ten images. Entering different sports gives you chances in several categories.
• Name and describe every file. The rules require a file name and a short description in the metadata.
• Caption with care. Name the event, the athletes and the date, as you would for a picture desk.
• Check your dates. Images from earlier seasons are not eligible.
• Do not overlook grassroots sport. Local and youth sport pictures often bring something different from the big stadium shots.
• Under 25? The Canon Emerging Talent Award gives you an extra chance to be seen.

Enter the Competition

Interested in submitting your work?

Enter the World Sports Photography Awards 2027

For the complete rules, the full category list and the entry platform, visit the official World Sports Photography Awards website.

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

Last verified: October 2, 2026