The search for the world’s most impactful reporting is officially on as the Fetisov Journalism Awards (FJA) opens submissions for its 2026 competition.
Established to recognize journalism as a public good, the awards honor professional reporters who champion human rights and social justice through their work.
Funding and benefit
Winners stand to gain significant financial backing from a massive overall prize fund totaling 520,000 CHF.
In each competition category, a prize pool of 130,000 CHF is distributed among the top three finishers: 100,000 CHF for first place, 20,000 CHF for second, and 10,000 CHF for third.
Beyond the monetary rewards, the FJA offers a global platform for stories that have created a positive impact on political, economic, or social situations.
Best of all, there are no fees associated with submitting an entry, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent important investigative stories from being recognized.
Application requirements and eligibility
The contest is open to professional journalists across the globe, including staff representatives of media outlets, members of professional journalism organizations, and dedicated freelancers.
Self-nominations are permitted, or organizations may nominate individual reporters for their outstanding contributions to the field.
To be eligible, stories must have been published in print or online between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026.
While long-form reporting is welcome up to a limit of 15,000 words, the competition focuses on written journalism; separate films, videos, or audio recordings are not accepted.
All entries must be submitted in English, and works originally published in other languages must be accompanied by a high-quality, professional translation.
Submissions are judged on several core criteria, including accuracy, independence, and a commitment to ethical principles.
Individual authors are limited to a single entry in one category, while media organizations may nominate a maximum of three different reportings.
Each submission must include a high-quality PDF of the work and, where necessary, signed consent forms from the authors involved.
Deadline
Journalists have until September 15, 2026, at 23:59 UTC to finalize their applications via the official FJA submission portal.
For those looking to join the ranks of world-class winners, the window is now open to submit the stories that shaped the global conversation this past year.
To apply, visit FJA call page. Visit our global opportunity page for more.
Summary not available at this time.
