Entries open for International Format Awards, with winners to be crowned at Content Europe

The International Format Awards have opened for entries, with the winners to be crowned at a gala awards dinner at Content Europe in Lisbon in April 2027.

The awards, which are celebrating their 20th year, recognise creativity and excellence across the genre. They are produced by C21 in association with FRAPA, the Format Recognition and Protection Association.

This year, 11 competitive categories are open for entry, plus the prestigious International Formats Business Gold Award.

Entries are open to any show that had its first broadcast between October 1, 2025, and November 9, 2026, and is being marketed to the international community as a format. Each category is judged independently by an international panel of buyers, commissioners, distributors and format experts.

New for this year is the Best Format Brand Extension category, recognising formats that have grown beyond the screen into wider brand activations – immersive and experiential events, live tours, location-based entertainment, gaming and consumer products.

The full list of categories is:
• Best Brand-Driven Format
• Best Format Brand Extension
• Best Competition Reality Format
• Best Comedy Format
• Best Factual Entertainment Format
• Best Digital-First Format
• Best Scripted Format
• Best Studio-Based Gameshow & Variety Format
• Best Returning Format
• Best Reality Format
• Best Host of a Television Format
• The International Formats Business Gold Award

Finalists will be showcased in editorial across C21Media.net, including a new ‘For Your Consideration’ season profiling the shortlisted formats, with the longlist unveiled at Content London in December and the final finalists announced in February 2027.

C21 editor-in-chief David Jenkinson said: “The Format Awards celebrate the best in international programming and we are delighted to move them alongside Content Europe in April next year. We will be building out an editorial season ahead of the final and look forward to working with FRAPA to bring a new dimension to the long-standing awards.

The fee to enter is £195 for a first entry, £125 for a second show and £100 per entry thereafter. Entries and payment must be received by November 9, 2026.

Further details of the gala dinner will be announced in due course.

International Format Awards 2027 timeline:
Entries open: June 17, 2026
Entries close: November 9, 2026
Finalists longlist announced at Content London: December 1, 2026
‘For Your Consideration’ editorial season on C21: December 2026 – February 2027
Finalists announced: February 15, 2027
Awards gala dinner at Content Europe, Lisbon: April 2027 (date TBC)

You can find out more and enter online by CLICKING HERE. For more information, please email [email protected].