WAN-IFRA has announced the results of the International Color Quality Club (ICQC) 2026–2028. The 27th edition of the international print-quality contest was held in May 2026 by the World Printers Forum.
The ICQC recognises companies that meet international printing standards and consistently produce high-quality newspapers.
Since 1994, the ICQC has recognised newspapers and magazines worldwide for excellence in colour printing and consistent print quality.
WAN-IFRA appreciates and congratulates successful publications on their efforts in producing consistent quality reproduction. 17 new publications (below) have been rewarded with membership of the Color Quality Club.
| # | COMPANY | PUBLICATION | CITY | COUNTRY |
| 1 | ABP Pvt. Ltd. | Anandabazar Patrika | Kolkata | India |
| 2 | ABP Pvt. Ltd. | The Telegraph | Kolkata | India |
| 3 | Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. | The Times of India | Ahmedabad | India |
| 4 | Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. | The Times of India | Bengaluru | India |
| 5 | Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. | The Times of India | Lucknow | India |
| 6 | Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. | The Times of India | Mumbai | India |
| 7 | Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. | The Times of India | Sahibabad | India |
| 8 | Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. | The Times of India | Manesar, Gurugram | India |
| 9 | DELO d.o.o. | Delo | Ljubljana | Slovenia |
| 10 | Druck Carinthia GmbH & Co. KG | Kleine Zeitung Kärnten | St.Veit/Glan | Austria |
| 11 | Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung | Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung | Kassel | Germany |
| 12 | Jagran Prakashan Ltd. | Dainik Jagran | Noida | India |
| 13 | MHS Print GmbH | Stuttgarter Zeitung | Esslingen | Germany |
| 14 | Printing Partners Paal-Beringen | Het Nieuwsblad | Paal-Beringen | Belgium |
| 15 | Sakal Media Private Ltd. | Sakal | Kohlapur | India |
| 16 | Sakal Media Private Ltd. | Sakal | Pune | India |
| 17 | The Printers (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd. | Prajavani | Hubli-Dharwad | India |
The evaluation combines objective measurements from the WAN-IFRA “Cuboid,” which was printed for one full week in May 2026, with an assessment of overall print quality.
Technical parameters, including dot gain, grey balance and colour space, are measured, while a panel of industry and technical experts evaluates print consistency, overall appearance and defects in the submitted newspapers as part of the General Print Quality assessment.
These reviews gives participants useful feedback and provides an industry benchmark for improving print processes.
“Qualifying for Color Quality Club shows strong process control and gives advertisers confidence in consistent quality,” said Sarah Lesting, Director, World Printers Forum.
Prabhu Natrajan, ICQC Project Manager, said that more publications are meeting the tougher standards, although ISO newsprint quality remains the main challenge.
Star Club and Millennium Club members
WAN-IFRA also recognises publications that demonstrate sustained print excellence over many years through Color Quality Club membership and ISO 12647-3 certification. Color Quality Club membership earns one star, while ISO 12647-3 certification earns two stars.
The members attaining 10 stars or more join the prestigious Millennium Club and a print site enters the Star Club by gaining five stars over its lifetime.
The complete list of Star Club members is available here.
Recognising the new members
All the winners will be honoured with a certificate at the World Printers Summit 2026 in Rotterdam on 5 October, and the South Asian publications can collect their certificate at the Indian Printers Summit 2026, on 9 September at The Westin, Pune.
Contact and inquiries
Find out more about the contest at cqc.wan-ifra.org or contact:
Sarah Lesting, sarah.lesting@wan-ifra.org and
Prabhu Natrajan, prabhu.n@wan-ifra.org