Assamese photojournalist Gitika Talukdar has achieved a rare distinction by becoming the only Indian woman photojournalist accredited to cover the FIFA World Cup 2026. The assignment marks her third consecutive Men’s FIFA World Cup, having previously covered the tournaments in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
Born in Arunachal Pradesh and raised with a passion for both sports and photography, Talukdar pursued a degree in Global Sports Management at Seoul National University in South Korea on a scholarship awarded by the country's Ministry of Sports and Culture. She later joined a photo news agency and gradually built a career focused on sports photography.
Over nearly two decades, Talukdar has covered some of the world's biggest sporting events. Her portfolio includes the FIFA Women’s World Cups in France (2019) and Australia-New Zealand (2023), the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, multiple ICC tournaments and the Commonwealth Games.
Announcing her accreditation for the 2026 World Cup on social media, Talukdar thanked FIFA, the All India Football Federation and the Asian Football Confederation for their support and trust.
Her achievement is particularly significant in a field where sports photography remains largely male-dominated. As the only Indian woman covering football’s biggest tournament, Talukdar’s presence on the global stage is being celebrated as a proud moment for Assam and the country.
