2026 Nobel Prize in Literature
Award
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature is an international literary prize established according to Alfred Nobel's will[1] that will be announced by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, Sweden, on 8 October 2026 and awarded on 10 December 2026.[2]
- 8 October 2026
(announcement) - 10 December 2026
(ceremony)
| 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature | |
|---|---|
 "in the field of literature, produced the most outstanding work in an idealistic direction". | |
| Date |
|
| Location | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Presented by | Swedish Academy |
| First award | 1901 |
| Website | 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature |
Nominations
Nominations can only be done by qualified nominators, namely members of the Swedish Academy and of other academies, institutions and societies which are similar to it in construction and purpose; professors of literature and of linguistics at universities and colleges; previous Nobel Prize laureates in Literature; and chairpersons of writers' organizations qualifying as representative of their countries' production of literature and belles lettres.[3] Among the fundamental rules in making nominations include not making them public – but some still do as previous years – nor nominating oneself which automatically disqualifies the nominee during deliberations.[4][5]
Possible Contenders
Despite the secrecy, many notable writers around the globe are perennially expected to be among the official nominees and favored to win the prestigious literary prize, such as Haruki Murakami, Karl Ove Knausgård, Margaret Atwood or Gerald Murnane[6]. In addition, some betting houses publish odds on some of the perceived contenders winning the prize.
| Author | Country | Betting Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Can Xue |  China |
10/1 |
| Haruki Murakami |  Japan |
14/1 |
| Gerald Murnane |  Australia |
16/1 |
| Thomas Pynchon |  USA |
16/1 |
| Cristina Rivera Garza |  Mexico |
20/1 |
| Enrique Vila-Matas |  Spain |
20/1 |
| Lídia Jorge |  Portugal |
20/1 |
| Lyudmila Ulitskaya |  Russia |
20/1 |
| Margaret Atwood |  United Kingdom |
20/1 |
| Michel Houellebecq |  France |
20/1 |
| Karl Ove Knausgaard |  Norway |
22/1 |
Nobel Committee
The 2026 Nobel Committee consists of the following members:[8]
| Committee Members | |||||
| Seat No. | Picture | Name | Elected | Position | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | .jpg) |
Anders Olsson (b. 1949) |
2008 | committee chair | literary critic, literary historian |
| 5 | .jpg) |
Ingrid Carlberg (b. 1961) |
2020 | associate member permanent secretary |
author, journalist |
| 9 | .jpg) |
Ellen Mattson (b. 1963) |
2019 | member | novelist, essayist |
| 14 | .jpg) |
Steve Sem-Sandberg (b. 1958) |
2021 | member | journalist, author, translator |
| 13 | .jpg) |
Anne Swärd (b. 1969) |
2019 | member | novelist |
| 16 | .jpg) |
Anna-Karin Palm (b. 1961) |
2023 | associate member | novelist, culture writer |