World Press Photo 26

This year, the city of Portimão is once again the first to present the exhibition in Portugal, from August 10 to 30, at the former fish market, curated by the Cultural Association Música XXI.

The annual competition promoted by the World Press Photo Foundation recognizes and celebrates the best photojournalism and documentary photography produced in the past year. The 42 winning photographs from the 69th edition of the World Press Photo Contest were selected from 57,376 images submitted by 3,747 photographers from 141 countries, in a collection that the jury describes as a reflection of the "most pressing issues of our time."

The awarded images, captured in 2025, highlight some of the most significant realities of the present – from the separation of migrant families in the United States to hunger in Gaza and the long struggle for justice by indigenous women in Guatemala.

The winning image is by American photographer Carol Guzy and was captured on August 26, 2025, at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York – one of the few places where photographers were allowed to be present.

The photograph shows the moment when Luis, an Ecuadorian migrant, is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after a hearing in immigration court. According to the family, he had no criminal record and was the sole provider for the household. His wife, Cocha, and their three children – aged seven, 13, and 15 – are left in deep distress, confronted with immediate financial difficulties and a strong emotional impact.

The award was created in 1955 by the World Press Photo Foundation, based in Amsterdam. In 2025, the Photo of the Year award was given to photographer Samar Abu Elouf for the image of Mahmoud Ajjour, a nine-year-old Palestinian boy, mutilated by war in Gaza, while in 2026, the distinction was awarded to Carol Guzy.

The awarded photographs are part of the traveling exhibition World Press Photo 2026, which will visit over 60 cities worldwide. The premiere took place on April 24, at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, before moving on to cities like Portimão, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, Vienna, Sydney, Mexico City, and São Paulo, among many others.

Hours: Open daily from 6 PM to midnight.

More information at www.worldpressphoto.org.