The International Booker Prize has announced its stellar judging panel for 2026, marking the prize’s 10th anniversary in its current format. Award-winning author Natasha Brown will chair the distinguished group, with submissions now open to UK and Irish publishers.
The panel, tasked with identifying the finest translated fiction published between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026, comprises:
Natasha Brown (Chair): Author of Assembly and “Universality,” recognised as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists.
Marcus du Sautoy: Renowned writer, broadcaster, and Oxford University Professor of Mathematics and for the Public Understanding of Science.
Sophie Hughes: International Booker Prize-shortlisted translator with an unparalleled record of five longlist and three shortlist nominations, celebrated for her work with Spanish and Italian literature.
Troy Onyango: Writer, founder and editor of Pan-African literary magazine Lolwe, and owner of Lolwe Books.
Nilanjana S. Roy: Award-winning novelist and Financial Times columnist, known for her fantasy and Delhi noir fiction.
The year 2026 holds special significance as the International Booker Prize commemorates a decade since adopting its current structure, focusing on single works of translated fiction. The inaugural 2016 winner, Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian,” translated by Deborah Smith, set a high standard, with Kang subsequently winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024.
The prize’s £50,000 award is equally divided between winning author and translator(s), emphasising translation’s collaborative nature. Each shortlisted title receives £5,000, split between author and translator(s). The prize champions diverse global voices, cultivating a vibrant community of readers and writers beyond geographical boundaries.
The literary journey begins with a longlist of 12-13 books announced February 24, 2026, followed by a six-book shortlist on March 31, 2026. The winner will be announced in May 2026, with the ceremony livestreamed on the Booker Prizes’ social media channels.
Natasha Brown expressed her enthusiasm: “Fiction in translation allows us to reach past borders and language barriers to encounter new stories, experiences and ideas. As a reader, this prize has broadened my literary horizons and introduced me to some of my all-time favourite books.” She described the upcoming months as a “quest” and “epic journey across the world’s fiction, travelling paths forged by the magic of translation.”
Fiammetta Rocco, International Booker Prize Administrator, praised the panel as “exceptionally well-read, well-travelled, thoughtful and attentive,” highlighting Brown’s unique perspective from experiencing the prize process as both judge and award recipient.
The International Booker Prize continues amplifying translated fiction worldwide. The 2025 winner, “Heart Lamp” by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, exemplified this impact. As the first short story collection and first work translated from Kannada to win, it generated over 1,800 news stories across 60 countries and garnered over 30 million online views. UK sales surged 292%, with the publisher reprinting 40,000 copies.
The prize has contributed to a boom in UK translated fiction, with sales doubling since the current format launched nine years ago. Younger readers drive this trend, with almost half of purchases made by under-35s. The prize’s influence extends globally, with four previously recognized authors—Han Kang, Jon Fosse, Annie Ernaux, and Olga Tokarczuk—subsequently receiving Nobel Prizes in Literature.
Beyond literature, the Booker Prizes’ engaging social media content, including popular shortlist films featuring well-known actors, has boosted online engagement significantly, with 2024 films alone achieving over 83 million views.
The 2026 panel brings diverse talents and perspectives. Brown, celebrated for her incisive prose and named one of the “most intelligent voices writing today,” offers structured leadership from her literary understanding and financial industry background. Du Sautoy bridges science and art through his work on public understanding of science and exploration of how mathematics shapes creativity.
Hughes brings invaluable translation expertise, particularly in Spanish and Italian literature, with her record-setting nominations providing crucial insights for recognizing exceptional translated works. Onyango offers a vital Pan-African literary perspective from his editorial and bookselling work across Kenya and the broader African continent. Roy contributes keen critical judgment and broad understanding of global literary trends through her prolific writing and Financial Times columns.
UK and Irish publishers can now submit books for the 2026 prize, with detailed rules and guidelines available at thebookerprizes.com. Key deadlines are staggered between July 24, 2025, and October 23, 2025.
