Wimbledon Prize Money Increased by 20% to £64.2m

The prize money for Wimbledon 2026 increased by 20% to £64.2 million. Each singles champion will take home £3.6 million while first-round losers will receive £80,000. Additionally, over £6 million will be allocated for the qualifying competition, representing a 25% increase. Overall, the prize funds rose by £10.7 million, amid ongoing discussions among players advocating for a more substantial share of tournament revenues.

Deborah Jevans, the chair of the All England Club (AELTC), expressed satisfaction with the increase, stating, "We are thrilled that we are able to give such a big uplift to the players. 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."

Players are campaigning for all Grand Slam tournaments to link prize money to tournament revenues. They had hoped Wimbledon would distribute £71.7 million, aiming for 16% of the tournament's total revenue, calculated by adding 5% to last year's figures. Jevans responded, saying that they do not rely solely on revenue percentages, which do not consider operational costs, emphasizing the AELTC's commitment to sustaining the event over its nearly 150 years of history.

Last year, the AELTC paid £48.1 million to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) as part of an agreement to allocate 90% of the surplus revenue, while player prize money has more than doubled over the past decade. Previous frustrations were voiced regarding insinuations of player exploitation.

In 2020, the AELTC voluntarily distributed £10 million to 620 players who would have participated in the Championships that year, had it not been canceled due to the Covid pandemic. In a recent display of discontent, some players limited their media commitments ahead of the French Open in response to a mere 9.5% prize money increase.

Just like the AELTC, the French Tennis Federation also disagrees with the notion of linking prize money to revenue, suggesting a mindset change is necessary for progress. Tournament Director Amelie Mauresmo commented Sunday, "I believe that everybody has to make a step in the other’s direction, and we’ll have to change the mentality. So we’ll need goodwill from everyone."

The US Tennis Association (USTA) previously offered $90 million (£67.2 million) in prize money for the 2025 event, which saw a 20% increase compared to earlier figures. The prize fund for this year’s US Open, set to announce soon after Wimbledon, is expected to surpass $100 million, potentially meeting the players’ 2026 prize money demands. Players are using the USTA's new mixed doubles event as leverage in negotiations.