World Sports Photography Awards 2026 winners revealed – now pick your favourite picture

The seventh edition of the World Sports Photography Awards received 23,130 images taken by 4,120 photographers from 123 countries. The judging panel, comprising experts from sport, media, photography, brand and creative industries whittled these down to 24 categories that covered 50 different sports, with one overall winner. Here are the judges’ winning shots, now scroll down to vote for yours.

American football

One player, 110,000 screaming fans

Christian Gresko captures Roger Saleapaga the Oregon Ducks tight end, as he appears to stare at a wall of thousands of fans during a match at Penn State University. The photograph was deemed the best taken in the American football category.

Aquatic

The Underworld

Photographer Beatriz Ryder Da Costa on her entry, which was second overall winner in the aquatic category: “We were deep in the Solomon Islands, on an island where we were the first white people anyone had ever seen, and yes, we were worried about saltwater crocs. I snapped the photo not knowing if it had worked, and when I saw it had, the stoke exploded. The waves were not great, but that didn’t matter, it was that raw, chaotic moment of adventure.”

Athletics

Tokyo rocket

Momone Ueda, the Japanese athlete, launches a javelin high into the night sky during the World Athletics Championships at the at National Stadium in Tokyo. Ueda did not win a medal, but local photographer Kenjiro Matsuo landed gold in the athletics category.

Baseball

Bubble

Steph Chambers captures Eugenio Suárez, the then third baseman for Seattle Mariners, at the precise moment his bubble burst during practice before game five of the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park in October last year. Seattle-based Chambers won gold for her baseball category entry.

Basketball

Breakaway for the lead

Alijah Martin, the Florida guard, seals victory for the Gators following a breakaway during the semi-finals of the NCAA tournament. Martin was not the only person who celebrated the moment: photographer Bob Donnan was handed gold in the basketball category for his entry.

Boxing

Uppercut

Arslan Yallyev, the Russian heavyweight, delivers a blow on the chin of Tony Yoka, his French rival, during their match in Paris. Yoka went on to win the bout following a unanimous decision, while another set of judges handed boxing photographer Alexis Goudeau gold for this shot.

Cricket

India vs England layers

The camera never lies, apparently. Except when Getty Images’ photographer Richard Heathcote produced this gold standard digital composite from the morning session of the third Test between England and India at Lord’s. Heathcote came third in the overall competition.

Cycling

Vistas desde el abandono (views from abandoned places)

Spanish photographer Aritz Arambarri Goenaga put himself firmly in the frame for the top spot on the cycling podium with this entry. The snap of the Copa de España peloton passing by an abandoned building beat the likes of cycling heavyweights such as Luca Bettini and the Grubers.

Equestrian

Equine reflection

Irish photographer Morgan Treacy was first past the post in the horse racing category, landing the gold award for this entry. In it, runners and riders are reflected in the sand on the beach in Laytown, Ireland’s only horse racing event run on a beach under the Rules of Racing.

Football

Black and white passion

Brazilian photographer Luis Amaral, it is safe to say, was delighted after his shot of a father and son celebrating a goal during an Atlético Mineiro match won top prize in the football category. “We are the champions with Rooster. A kid who left Juatuba is gold,” he said.

Formula One

Tunnel exit

Luca Martini, the Italian photographer, beat a strong field of entries in the Formula One category to take home gold. Martini captures Red Bull leader Max Verstappen through the Armco barriers as he speeds past in a tunnel during free practice before the Monaco Grand Prix.

Golf

Tommy Fleetwood emerges from a hedge

David Cannon beat a strong field to win gold in the golf category with this playful entry. The photograph captures the moment Englishman Tommy Fleetwood pops out from the bushes after playing a shot on the 18th during the third round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Gymnastics

Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, Rio de Janeiro 2025

Buda Mendes, the Brazilian who works for Getty Images, was in the right place at the right time at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Rio. Israel’s Meital Maayan Sumkin, balancing on one hand while controlling a ball with her foot, landed Mendes gold.

Ice hockey

Last line of defence

Sophia Sandurskaya, who works for the Tass news agency in Russia, had the best view in the house for the Kontinental Hockey League match between Spartak Moscow and Shanghai Dragons in Moscow. Her entry won top spot in the ice hockey category.

Martial arts

Unusual sumo attack

Renowned British photographer Tom Jenkins won gold in the martial arts category for capturing the moment where Tobizaru sticks a finger up the nose of Takayasu as they fight during the final day of the five-day Grand Sumo Tournament at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Motorsports

Emerging Ford

Mwangi Kirubi, the Kenyan photographer based in Nairobi, took gold in the motor sports category after capturing Grégoire Munster and Louis Louka in a Ford Puma Rally1 race at the 2025 WRC Safari Rally Kenya Shakedown at Sleeping Warrior.

Other

Bout

In a category that included entries from across the world, featuring photographs of archers, rock climbers, darts players and triathletes, this was the winning entry in the “other” category. Anna Zinovieva focuses on fencers who are exposed in the bright neon lights in Russia.

Racquet sports

Kim Nayeong, WTT Foz do Iguaçu

There was another gold medal entry from a Brazilian photographer, this time in the racquet sports category. Abelardo Mendes Jnr took top prize for this shot of South Korea’s Kim Nayeong as she eyes a table tennis ball during the WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguacu tournament.

Rugby union

New Zealand haka

Andrew Dowling won the race for the line in the rugby union category with this perfectly-framed shot. Dowling captures the moment the New Zealand team performed their pre-match haka before the Test match with Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Swimming and diving

Catching a breath

Carel du Plessis, the London-based photographer, was on hand to capture Henry Bramwell-Reeks during the swim leg of a full-distance triathlon at the Xterra World Championship in Molveno, Italy. This image landed Du Plessis swimming and diving gold.

Tennis

Carlos’ shadow hits a ball

Carlos Alcaraz may not have won last year’s Australian Open, but this image taken by Edgar Su at the opening major of the season landed the Singaporean photographer the overall top prize at the World Sports Photography Awards. It was, without question, Su’s golden hour.

Urban and extreme

Kickflippin’ India

Swiss photographer Martin Bissig won the top prize in the urban and extreme category after capturing a skateboarder tackling an ancient stepwell in Jaipur, India.

Venues and views

Championship view

Photographer Andrew Hancock opted to use his fisheye lens to help capture confetti falling atop the Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the Ohio State Buckeyes rush the field to celebrate winning the College Football Playoff National Championship over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Winter sports

North

Germain Favre-Felix, the French photographer, took home the top prize in the winter sports category after capturing countryman Richard Permin skiing downhill high above a lake.

Now tell us your favourite…

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