The best documentary photography and photojournalism revealed by World Press Photo

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Jessica Miller 9 April 2026 / 09:00 BST

World Press Photo has announced the winners of the 2026 World Press Photo Contest. The winning projects offer a look into the important stories from around the globe, from globally recognised events to those underrepresented and overlooked. Together they share a powerful visual record of life across the world at a time when we need truth the most. Each region has three winners in the Singles and Stories categories, and one winner in the Long-Term Project category. The overall winner of Photo of the Year will be unveiled on 23rd April in Amsterdam.

Sandra Mara Siqueira rests with her grandchildren, Micael, Davi, Ana Flávia, and Vitória. Living in the Parque dos Lagos occupation since 2013, the family seeks land regularization to guarantee access to basic infrastructure. Colombo, Paraná, Brazil, 15 November 2025. A Territory of Hope © Priscila Ribeiro, South America, Singles

From 57,376 photographs entered by 3,747 photographers from 141 countries, just 42 projects have been awarded. Covering core subjects including global conflict, the far-reaching impact of the climate crisis, civic action and the fight for rights, the images offer broad perspectives and intimate insider views of war, crisis, the fragility of human life, illness, isolation and grief, but also survival, resistance, resilience, and hidden traditions.

Officers from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies clash with demonstrators outside an ICE processing center. The intense summer protests centered on opposing the administration’s escalating mass-deportation agenda. Portland, Oregon, United States, 24 June 2025. Portland Protests ICE
© Jan Sonnenmair, North and Central America, Singles

We see ballet dancers in South Africa, women horseriders in Morocco, protests and women’s movements in Guatemala and Kenya, and families affected by immigration enforcement in the United States. Environmental portraits bring viewers into striking proximity with nature, from an elephant cull in Zimbabwe, to a polar bear atop a sperm whale, and a close-up of a panda in a Chinese national park. Together, these projects form an urgent portrait of our world today.

On 23rd April 2026, one will be named the Photo of the Year winner and receive an additional 10,000 euros. They and the two finalists will each also receive a FUJIFILM GFX100 II camera, with two batteries (NP-W235) and one battery charger (BC-W235) plus their choice of either two FUJINON GF lenses, or a fixed lens digital camera, FUJIFILM GFX100RF, and a FUJINON GF lens.

Engla Louise’s “bed ballet” – movements performed lying down – keeps her connection to dance alive. Every day at a specific time, she watches ballet on her iPad. Linköping, Sweden, 22 December 2025. Engla Louise © Sanna Sjöswärd, for Corren, Europe, Stories

Executive director of World Press Photo, Joumana El Zein Khoury said: “I have deep respect for the thoughtful process behind every story we award. I believe that the jury’s intentionality is – and will continue to be – the source of the public’s trust in World Press Photo.”

31 out of the 42 winners are local to the region they have photographed. Compared to the 2025 Contest, there were 11% more entrants from South America, and 14% more entrants from Asia-Pacific and Oceania. Women and non-binary photographers also made up 22% of contest entries. This reflects a steady increase since the regional contest model was introduced.

A female polar bear feeds on a sperm whale carcass in the polar pack ice north of the Norwegian archipelago, Svalbard. 82° North, International Waters, 8 July 2025. Polar Bear on Sperm Whale © Roie Galitz, Europe, Singles

The winners were judged first by six independent regional juries, and the winners were then chosen by a global jury consisting of the regional jury chairs plus the global jury chair.

The global jury chair for 2026 was Kira Pollack, a Harvard Shorenstein Center fellow exploring archival innovation through emerging technologies. She previously held leadership roles at TIME, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times Magazine. She said: “This is a critical moment — for democracy, for truth, for the question of what we as a society are willing to see and call out and what we are willing to ignore. The photographers recognized here have done their part. They have made the record. Now it is our turn to look.”

Palestinians at Al-Mawasi displacement camp wait for a meal. Local charity kitchens were one of the only food sources for many of Gaza’s displaced. Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, 21 September 2025. Witnessing Gaza
© Saher Alghorra, for The New York Times, West, Central and South Asia, Stories

Exhibition

The awarded stories will be shown to millions worldwide as part of World Press Photo’s annual traveling exhibition in over 60 locations around the world – including the world premiere exhibition in Amsterdam at De Nieuwe Kerk. More locations will be confirmed throughout the year and added to the World Press Photo exhibition calendar page.

Best photography exhibitions to see

The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds. The Los Angeles blazes inflicted between $28 and $53.8 billion in property damage, disrupting thousands of local businesses. Los Angeles, California, United States, 7 January 2025. Los Angeles on Fire
© Ethan Swope, for Associated Press, North and Central America, Stories
A soldier from Ukraine’s 93rd Brigade scans for Russian FPV drones while speeding through Kostyantynivka, a strategic gateway to Ukraine’s last major defensive belt in Donetsk. Kostyantynivka, Ukraine, 19 June 2025. Drone Wars
© David Guttenfelder, The New York Times, Europe, Stories
Waltraud talks with Emma, a social robot that recognizes faces and remembers past conversations. Though skeptical at first, Waltraud says she felt connected to Emma over time. Albershausen, Germany, 3 July 2025. Emma the Social Robot © Paula Hornickel, Europe, Singles
Amal holds an X-ray of her lungs. She moved to Moon Valley at three years old and developed asthma within months. Alexandria, Egypt, 31 January 2018. Moon Dust
© Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program, Africa, Long-Term Projects.
Noura attempts to control her horse after firing, the most dangerous part of the performance. Riders risk injury from gunpowder or falling and being trampled. Sidi Rahal, Morocco, 8 August 2025. Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters
© Chantal Pinzi, Panos Pictures, Africa, Stories
Female students attend class at their school, which was attacked by the Taliban on 21 December 2012 as part of a campaign to prevent girls from accessing education. Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 4 June 2013. Hijacked Education
© Diego Ibarra Sánchez, Long-Term Projects, Diego Ibarra Sanchez
Members of the CAPSAT military unit ride a pickup truck as protesters celebrate their arrival, following clashes between demonstrators and security forces. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 11 October 2025. Madagascar’s Gen Z Protests © Luis Tato, Agence France-Presse, Africa, Stories
Bride Jamaica Aguilar prepares to enter the flooded Barasoain Church for her wedding. The Barasoain Church, a national landmark, is situated in a region where nearly 75% of the population is exposed to flooding hazards.
Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines, 22 July 2025.
Wedding in the Flood
© Aaron Favila, Associated Press, Asia, Pacific and Oceania, Stories

More winning images can be seen here.

Featured image: Mr Wong cries out in anguish as fire engulfs the Tai Po housing complex he calls home. Moments earlier, he phoned his wife, who was trapped in the building, and they exchanged what would be their final words. Hong Kong, 26 November 2025. A Desperate Plea © Tyrone Siu, Reuters, Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Singles

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Jessica Miller

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