Football and the World 2026: International Illustration Competition

On the occasion of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the illustration competition “Football and the World 2026” is organized by CooterMag with the aim of reflecting the human, cultural, and social dimensions of football.

This event invites illustrators and visual artists to present their creative perspectives on football as a universal language, a cultural phenomenon, and a force for coexistence, hope, and intercultural dialogue through illustration.

This competition is an independent cultural and artistic event and is not officially affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) or any of its associated organizations.

The use of official FIFA symbols, logos, and proprietary visual elements is not permitted in submitted artworks.

Competition Themes

Main Section

• Football as a universal language
• Peace and football (with a human, cultural, and symbolic approach)
• Me, my family, and football

Special Section

• Canada
  • Canada national football team
  • People, football culture, and stadiums
  • Group-stage matches of the 2026 World Cup hosted in Canada
• Germany
  • Germany national football team
  • Dreams, hopes, and football narratives

Competition Timeline

• Registration and submission deadline: July 14, 2026
• Jury review and final results announcement: Late July – August

The submitted works will be evaluated by a professional jury composed of distinguished experts, whose profiles will be introduced through relevant platforms and media channels.

Awards

Main Section

• First Prize: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, Festival Book, Exclusive Interview, Virtual Solo Exhibition
• Second Prize: Certificate of Honor, Virtual Solo Exhibition
• Third Prize: Certificate of Honor, Virtual Solo Exhibition
• Top 10 Selected Works: Selected works will be published as official festival posters and postcards and distributed internationally.

Special Section

• First Prize: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, Festival Book, Exclusive Interview, Virtual Solo Exhibition
• Second Prize: Certificate of Honor, Festival Book, Exclusive Interview, Virtual Solo Exhibition
• Top 10 Selected Works: Selected works will be published as official festival posters and postcards and distributed internationally.

Participant Benefits

All artworks selected for the final stage of the competition will receive:

• An official certificate of selection
• Participation in the online exhibition

Participation Conditions and Entry Fee

• Entry fee: $10
• Entry fee for Iranian artists: Free of charge

The entry fee is collected solely to cover part of the festival’s operational and organizational costs and does not constitute the purchase of awards nor guarantee selection.

Artwork Submission Guidelines

• Each artist may submit up to three (3) works per section.
  Works presented as a series or comic strip consisting of 1 to 3 panels will be considered as one artwork.
• This competition is dedicated exclusively to human-made illustration. Artworks created entirely or predominantly using AI-based image generation tools are not permitted and will be removed from the judging process if identified.
• Submitted artworks must have been created within the past two years.
• Artworks must not contain racist, unethical, or content violating human rights principles; otherwise, they will be disqualified.
• Maximum artwork size must not exceed A4.
• The file size of each artwork must not exceed 10 MB.
• Submissions are accepted only through the official festival submission form. Submissions sent via other methods will not be reviewed.

Legal and Copyright Restrictions

This competition is held independently and has no official association with or endorsement by FIFA.

Participants may use symbolic and artistic elements related to football and the World Cup, including national flags, colors, and symbolic national team uniforms (without official logos or sponsors), artistic interpretations of the World Cup trophy, and non-official references to teams.

Illustrations of famous football players are permitted only if they are presented in an artistic, non-realistic, non-offensive, and non-commercial manner.

The use of official and registered FIFA assets, including official logos, sponsors, and mascots, is strictly prohibited.

The responsibility for respecting intellectual property and copyright laws lies solely with the artist. The festival secretariat reserves the right to reject or remove any artwork that violates these regulations.

Legal Terms and Ownership of Works

• Submitted works must be the original property of the artist or the artist must hold valid permission to submit them if they have previously been published or used by other organizations. The festival bears no legal responsibility in such cases.
• Full intellectual property rights of submitted works remain with the artist.
• The festival organizers reserve the right to use selected works, with full credit to the artist and the festival, for promotional and informational purposes, including publication in the festival book, exhibitions, media, and related platforms.

Clause on Collaborative Promotional Use

In the event of cultural, artistic, or promotional projects related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup—developed in collaboration with institutions, brands, or commercial entities (including but not limited to tourism spaces, restaurants, hotels, and cultural centers)—the festival organizers may use selected artworks, with full credit to the illustrator and the festival, in formats such as postcards, graphic materials, digital spaces, and websites.

Such use will only take place after informing the artist and obtaining written (digital) consent, and will not result in the transfer of ownership rights.

Content Considerations

• This competition is non-political in nature.
• Submitted works must not contain political, ideological, offensive, or demeaning content.
• Concepts such as peace, coexistence, and hope are accepted only within a human-centered, symbolic, and cultural framework.

Final Notes

• Submission of an artwork implies full acceptance of all terms and conditions of this call.
• The festival secretariat reserves the right to reject or remove any submission that does not comply with the regulations.

Organizers and Supporters

• • CooterMag Magazine
  • Daarvak Publishing
  • DLiD – Literature Department