CounterPress nominated for 'News Industry Technology Partner' at Future of Media Awards 2026

CounterPress's rapid expansion over the last 12 months has been rewarded with a nomination at one of the UK's most prestigious media awards.

The company has been nominated for 'News Industry Technology Partner' at the Future of Media Awards 2026, which recognises editorial, commercial and product excellence across digital news media in the UK and around the world.

The awards, run by Press Gazette, celebrate the best websites, apps, publishers and innovators in the media industry, with CounterPress up against two others in its category.

It is the business's second award nomination in a matter of months, with the company also up for 'Startup of the Year' at the SPARKies Awards 2026.

CounterPress has achieved significant growth over the last year and recently reached a notable landmark, signing up a 50th independent media title to its network.

Outlets covering football clubs in the Premier League, EFL and National League have all joined the network, while 17 of the 18 professional county cricket clubs have dedicated outlets powered by CounterPress.

The business will be expanding into new areas in the coming months, with new independent sites covering rugby union, futsal, horse racing and esports all set to launch this summer.

The latest nomination is welcome recognition of the CounterPress team's collective work to build a platform that empowers journalists and enables them to operate as independent publishers.

As part of the CounterPress service, outlets have access to a modern, intuitive CMS; bespoke analytics; direct-to-consumer email functionality; and integrated Stripe monetisation management and data analytics.

An expert consulting team is also on hand to help outlet owners develop their brands, provide better service to customers, and develop new skills thanks to a bespoke learning environment.

Co-founder Sam Morshead said: "CounterPress has made huge strides over the course of the past year, and being shortlisted for this award is tremendous recognition of the scale and speed of our evolution.

"It has been a thrill to play a part in empowering journalists of all backgrounds and ages to own their future in sports media, at a time when the landscape is fragmenting and jobs are becoming more and more scarce.

"I'm grateful to all of our outlet owners for trusting CounterPress to be a part of their entrepreneurial journalism adventures, and I'm so excited to see how their titles evolve over the coming months and years.

"Sports media, particularly in the regions and niches, is at a perilous crossroads - and if we can play a small role in the preservation and promotion of such an important craft, CounterPress will achieve its headline goal."

The Future of Media Awards winners will be revealed at a ceremony at London's Hilton Bankside on September 10.