mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

The Fourth Challenge on Image Super-Resolution (×4) at NTIRE 2026: Benchmark Results and Method Overview

arXiv 2604.14558 ↗First posted 16 Apr 2026cs.CVcited by 10

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Abstract (arXiv)

This paper presents the NTIRE 2026 image super-resolution (×4) challenge, one of the associated competitions of the NTIRE 2026 Workshop at CVPR 2026. The challenge aims to reconstruct high-resolution (HR) images from low-resolution (LR) inputs generated through bicubic downsampling with a ×4 scaling factor. The objective is to develop effective super-resolution solutions and analyze recent advances in the field. To reflect the evolving objectives of image super-resolution, the challenge includes two tracks: (1) a restoration track, which emphasizes pixel-wise fidelity and ranks submissions based on PSNR; and (2) a perceptual track, which focuses on visual realism and evaluates results using a perceptual score. A total of 194 participants registered for the challenge, with 31 teams submitting valid entries. This report summarizes the challenge design, datasets, evaluation protocol, main results, and methods of participating teams. The challenge provides a unified benchmark and offers insights into current progress and future directions in image super-resolution.

Key facts. Cited by 10 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 46 of its 75 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 16 Apr 2026.

Builds on

46 of 75 references.

References · 46

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34 more
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  2. 2022Simple Baselines for Image Restorationcited by 708
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  5. 2024MambaIR: A Simple Baseline for Image Restoration with State-Space Modelcited by 352
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  12. 2023Dual Aggregation Transformer for Image Super-Resolutioncited by 124
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  14. 2024TSD-SR: One-Step Diffusion with Target Score Distillation for Real-World Image Super-Resolutioncited by 87
  15. 2023HAT: Hybrid Attention Transformer for Image Restorationcited by 66
  16. 2015Seven ways to improve example-based single image super resolutioncited by 51
  17. 2025One Diffusion Step to Real-World Super-Resolution via Flow Trajectory Distillationcited by 41
  18. 2022NTIRE 2022 Challenge on Efficient Super-Resolution: Methods and Resultscited by 40
  19. 2024NTIRE 2024 Challenge on Image Super-Resolution (x4): Methods and Resultscited by 40
  20. 2023Recursive Generalization Transformer for Image Super-Resolutioncited by 29
  21. 2026The Eleventh NTIRE 2026 Efficient Super-Resolution Challenge Reportcited by 25
  22. 2021Attention in Attention Network for Image Super-Resolutioncited by 20
  23. 2026NTIRE 2026 Challenge on Robust AI-Generated Image Detection in the Wildcited by 18
  24. 2026NTIRE 2026 Challenge on Bitstream-Corrupted Video Restoration: Methods and Resultscited by 16
  25. 2026NTIRE 2026 The 3rd Restore Any Image Model (RAIM) Challenge: Multi-Exposure Image Fusion in Dynamic Scenes (Track 2)cited by 16
  26. 2025OMGSR: You Only Need One Mid-timestep Guidance for Real-World Image Super-Resolutioncited by 15
  27. 2026NTIRE 2026 Challenge on Single Image Reflection Removal in the Wild: Datasets, Results, and Methodscited by 15
  28. 2026NTIRE 2026 Challenge on Short-form UGC Video Restoration in the Wild with Generative Models: Datasets, Methods and Resultscited by 14
  29. 2026NTIRE 2026 The Second Challenge on Day and Night Raindrop Removal for Dual-Focused Images: Methods and Resultscited by 14
  30. 2026The Second Challenge on Real-World Face Restoration at NTIRE 2026: Methods and Resultscited by 13
  31. 2026The Second Challenge on Cross-Domain Few-Shot Object Detection at NTIRE 2026: Methods and Resultscited by 13
  32. 2026NTIRE 2026 The 3rd Restore Any Image Model (RAIM) Challenge: AI Flash Portrait (Track 3)cited by 12
  33. 2026NTIRE 2026 The 3rd Restore Any Image Model (RAIM) Challenge: Professional Image Quality Assessment (Track 1)cited by 12
  34. 2024Training Transformer Models by Wavelet Losses Improves Quantitative and Visual Performance in Single Image Super-Resolutioncited by 10

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Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 10.

10 papers.

  1. 2026NTIRE 2026 Rip Current Detection and Segmentation (RipDetSeg) Challenge Reportcited by 8
  2. 2026Low Light Image Enhancement Challenge at NTIRE 2026cited by 7
  3. 2026The First Challenge on Remote Sensing Infrared Image Super-Resolution at NTIRE 2026: Benchmark Results and Method Overviewcited by 7
  4. 2026The First Challenge on Mobile Real-World Image Super-Resolution at NTIRE 2026: Benchmark Results and Method Overviewcited by 6
  5. 2026Robust Deepfake Detection, NTIRE 2026 Challenge: Reportcited by 6
  6. 2026The First Controllable Bokeh Rendering Challenge at NTIRE 2026cited by 2
  7. 2026The Third Challenge on Image Denoising at NTIRE 2026: Methods and Resultscited by 1
  8. 2026NTIRE 2026 Challenge on Efficient Low Light Image Enhancement: Methods and Resultscited by 0
  9. 2026NTIRE 2026 Low-light Enhancement: Twilight Cowboy Challengecited by 0
  10. 2026Discrete Annotation, Continuous Preference: Rethinking Supervision for Accurate and Generalizable Aesthetic Image Croppingcited by 0