Gitika Talukdar from Assam has earned FIFA accreditation as India’s only female photojournalist for the 2026 World Cup, marking her third consecutive coverage of the global tournament.
Talukdar will cover the mega-event across the United States, Canada, and Mexico beginning June 11, 2026. She previously reported from Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, placing her in an elite tier of global sports media professionals.
Securing FIFA credentials is highly competitive, with thousands of applicants vying for limited slots. Talukdar’s success highlights her persistence and excellence in sports storytelling. She expressed gratitude to FIFA, AFC, and AIFF, calling the milestone a proud validation of years of independent hustle.
Her career spans nearly two decades, breaking barriers in a male-dominated arena. Born in Arunachal Pradesh and rooted in Assam, she built her career outside traditional media hubs. She pursued higher education in Global Sports Management at Seoul National University under a South Korean government scholarship, focusing on gender inequality in sports media.
Talukdar’s portfolio includes FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cups, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, where she became the first Indian woman accredited directly by the IOC. Her documentary style emphasises human emotion, capturing heartbreak, triumph, and resilience beyond the game.
