The All England Club delivers its biggest annual prize money increase in history for the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, clearly responding to recent player pressure on the issue.
Total prize money will reach £64.2 million, a huge 20% increase from the £53.5 million offered in 2025. The £10.7 million uplift represents “by far” the biggest annual increase in the tournament’s 149-year history, according to All England Club Chair Deborah Jevans.
What players will earn
Singles Champions: £3.6 million each (men’s and women’s) – up 20% from £3 million in 2025
Runners-Up: £1.8 million each – up 18% from £1.52 million in 2025
Semifinalists: Additional increases across the board
First-Round Losers: £80,000 – up 21% from £66,000 in 2025
Qualifying Round Prize Money: £6.2 million total – up 25%
The increases extend throughout the tournament, and once again they are trying to better support lower-ranked players and qualifiers who depend on early-round earnings to fund their careers.
Overview:
Singles, men and women
| Result | Prize Money |
| Champion | £3,600,000 |
| Finalist | £1,800,000 |
| SF | £900,000 |
| QF | £480,000 |
| R4 | £300,000 |
| R3 | £185,000 |
| R2 | £126,000 |
| R1 | £80,000 |
Doubles, men and women (per pair)
| Result | Prize Money |
| Champions | £760,000 |
| Finalists | £380,000 |
| SF | £190,000 |
| QF | £95,000 |
| R3 | £48,000 |
| R2 | £29,000 |
| R1 | £18,000 |
The increase comes amid intense pressure from players demanding a larger share of Grand Slam revenues. Just weeks ago at the French Open, leading players cut short press conferences and raised the prospect of boycotts unless prize money demands were addressed.
Players had argued that the prize pool should represent closer to 16% of tournament revenue. In fact they had requested £71 million from Wimbledon specifically so still short of player expectations.
Jevans emphasized that the increase reflects Wimbledon’s commitment to investment in the sport:
“I hope that the players will sit back and recognise that we listened, that they are sharing in our success and will recognise that this is a significant uplift and a significant amount of money that goes not just to the semi-finalists and finalists. And I also hope that they recognise all the improvements that have been made in the facilities.”
The All England Club stressed that reinvestment in facilities, the grass court season, and British and international tennis development remains essential, and that a direct revenue-sharing model (like some players requested) isn’t feasible.
Looking ahead
There’s been growing tension between players and Grand Slam organisers over revenue distribution, for example limited player voice, costs for lower-ranked players and the desire for a percentage of revenue rather than fixed prize pools.
The US Open is also expected to announce a big prize money increase, we’ll report more on that in the near future.