See the best sport photographs from World Sports Photography Awards

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World Sports Photography Awards, sponsored by Canon, have revealed the winners of this year’s competition. 2025 was another fantastic year for sport with many memorable moments, from Europe winning the Ryder Cup and Rory McIlroy completing the Grand Slam in golf, through to a thrilling World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and England winning the Women’s Rugby World Cup. With so many internationally diverse opportunities to capture sporting greatness, a record-breaking 23,130 images were submitted by 4,120 photographers representing 123 countries, making this year’s awards the most successful edition in the competition’s history.

Edgar Su’s photograph ‘Carlos’ Shadow Hits a Ball’ has been named the overall winner of the record-breaking 2026 competition. The shot was taken during Alcaraz’s his fourth round tennis match against Britain’s Jack Draper at the 2025 Australian Open hosted in Melbourne, Australia.  

Carlos’ Shadow Hits a Ball by Edgar Su, Grand Prix Gold Winner and Tennis Gold Award

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his fourth round match against Britain's Jack Draper Image: Edgar Su — Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 19, 2025 Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in action during his fourth round match against Britain’s Jack Draper Image: Edgar Su

As the only global sports awards dedicated exclusively to sports imagery, the submissions represent work from the world’s best professional sport photographers. The winning image leads a collection of 24 category-topping photographs spanning more than 50 sports including American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Equestrian, Golf, Racquet Sports, Winter Sports and Football.

Swimming, Gold Award. Catching a Breath by Carel du Plessis. Image taken at the XTERRA World Championship in Molveno, Italy. Photo features Henry Bramwell-Reeks, a Triathlete from the United Kingdom. This was taken during the swim leg of the full-distance triathlon on September 27th 2025. Image: Carel du Plessis — Swimming and Diving, Gold Award. Catching a Breath by Carel du Plessis. Image taken at the XTERRA World Championship in Molveno, Italy. Photo features Henry Bramwell-Reeks, a Triathlete from the United Kingdom. This was taken during the swim leg of the full-distance triathlon on September 27th 2025. Image: Carel du Plessis

Gold, Gold Award. Tommy Fleetwood emerges from a hedge by David Cannon. Image: David Cannon

Overall Grand Prix Bronze Award and Cricket, Gold Award, India v England layers by Richard Heathcote. Image: Richard Heathcote

Motor Sports, Silver Award. Fossible by Irina Petrichei. Image: Irina Petrichei

Moscow, Russian Federation, Megasport Stadium.
Kontinental Hockey League. "Spartak" (Moscow) vs "Shanghai Dragons" (Shanghai).
Players of "Shanghai Dragons" (in white) and "Spartak" (in red) during the match. — Ice Hockey, Gold Award, Last Line of Defense by Sophia Sandurskaya. Moscow, Russian Federation, Megasport Stadium. Kontinental Hockey League. “Spartak” (Moscow) vs “Shanghai Dragons” (Shanghai). Players of “Shanghai Dragons” (in white) and “Spartak” (in red) during the match. Image: Sophia Sandurskaya

Through the exceptional quality and diversity of submissions, sports photographers around the world continue to innovate, inspire, and push the creative boundaries of the medium. It goes to show that even with rapid technological advancements, the photographer’s eye and craft remain paramount.

Richard Shepherd, Product Marketing Senior Manager, Imaging at Canon Europe, says: “The images recognised this year showcase photographers at their creative best, pushing boundaries, seeing differently and capturing sport in ways we’ve not experienced before. Canon’s role is to support that creativity through equipment photographers can trust under pressure, enabling them to create different in the most demanding moments.”

Football, Gold Award, Black & White Passion by Luis Amaral. Emotion that bursts in the moment and finds itself in someone else — the kind of feeling football turns into its own language, especially in the father-and-child bond. Image: Luis Amaral

javelin thrower — Athletics, Gold Award, Tokyo Rocket by Kenjiro Matsuo. Image: Kenjiro Matsuo

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 and disbelief that made it unforgettable. — Grand Prix Silver Award and Aquatic Gold Award, The Underworld by Beatriz Ryder da Costa. 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 and disbelief that made it unforgettable. Image: Beatriz Ryder da Costa

golfer justin rose being sprayed by champagne at the ryder cup — Golf, Bronze Award, Beating the odds by Richard Heathcote. Image: Richard Heathcote

Winter Sports, Gold Award, North by Germain Favre-Felix. Image: Germain Favre-Felix

Basketball, Gold Award, Breakaway for the Lead by Bob Donnan. Florida guard Alijah Martin gives the Gators the lead for good on a breakaway score in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. Image: Bob Donnan

More winning images can be seen on the World Sports Photography Awards website.

Carlos’ Shadow Hits a Ball by Edgar Su, Grand Prix Gold Winner and Tennis Gold Award

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