The World Sports Photography Awards 2027 (WSPA) is open for entries. Described as “the world’s foremost showcase of sports photography,” the free-to-enter competition attracts thousands of entries from photographers all over the world.
Last year, over 4,200 entries covering 60 different sports were entered by photographers from 123 countries.
For the second year running, the competition is sponsored by none other than Canon. “Canon has been the perfect partner (...) there’s no name more synonymous with sports photography,” said co-founder of the WSPA, Simon Burton.
“It's been another remarkable year for sport around the globe, and we can’t wait to see the images photographers submit.”
WSPA entry requirements
Submissions to the WSPA are free. Entrants can submit up to 10 images across 24 sports categories, but they must have been captured between December 2025 and November 2026. Images entered in last year’s competition are not eligible for reentry. The closing date for entries is November 23 2026.
I’ve judged many photography competitions over the years and one of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen is entries that breach competition guidelines (look no further than the recent controversy surrounding the Capture the Dark contest).
It’s therefore imperative that you take a detailed look at the WSPA’s rules page before submitting your entries.
Last year, the competition debuted the ‘Canon Emerging Talent’ award in a bid to celebrate the next generation of sports photographers. It’s back for 2027 and open to those under the age of 25.
“By recognizing emerging talent and giving young photographers a platform to showcase their creativity and passion, we hope to help them take the next step in their careers and tell the powerful stories at the heart of sport,” said Richard Shepherd, product marketing senior manager at Canon Europe.
Want to see some of 2026's winners? I’m an avid sports photographer, and these are my five favorite match-winning shots from last year's World Sports Photography Awards.
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