WIMBLEDON announced a significant increase in prize money for its 2026 championships, raising the total purse by 20 percent amid ongoing calls from players for a greater share of Grand Slam revenues, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The All England Club said total prize money, including player per diems, will reach 64.2 million pounds (US$85.8 million), describing it as the largest annual increase in the tournament’s history.
The men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive 3.6 million pounds ($4.8 million) when the grass-court Grand Slam begins on June 29.
“I would hope the players would welcome it. It’s a significant amount of money,” All England Club chair Deborah Jevans said during a press conference.
“We’ve demonstrated that we’ve looked at every round, including qualifying. My hope is that the players do recognize what a significant increase that this is,” she added.
According to AP, players have been pushing for a larger share of revenues generated by the four Grand Slam tournaments and have recently taken steps toward collective action.
Jevans said players had sought a total prize fund of 71 million pounds ($95 million) for this year’s Wimbledon. She noted that the request was discussed during talks in Paris with former WTA chief executive Larry Scott, who has been advising players.
Ahead of the French Open, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suggested players could eventually consider a boycott if their demands were not met.
Men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and several other top players have also voiced support for greater player representation and compensation.
In a symbolic protest during Roland Garros, several top-10 players limited their pre-tournament media sessions to 15 minutes to highlight concerns about their share of tournament revenues.
More than a year ago, 20 leading players signed a letter addressed to the organizers of the four Grand Slams, seeking increased prize money and a stronger voice in decision-making.
This year’s Wimbledon will award 80,000 pounds ($107,000) to players eliminated in the first round, a 21-percent increase from 2025.
Prize money for qualifying rounds will rise by 25 percent, while men’s and women’s singles runners-up will each receive 1.8 million pounds ($2.4 million), up 18 percent from last year.
“This announcement recognizes the success of The Championships, and that we operate a sustainable program that allows us not only to increase prize money but also to invest in facilities, the grass-court season and support British and international tennis,” Jevans said.
The AP also reported that prize-money increases must be balanced with Wimbledon’s broader commitments. About 90 percent of the tournament’s distributable financial surplus is allocated to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Britain’s governing body for tennis and padel.
The LTA uses the funds to expand participation in the sport, improve facilities, support elite player development and stage grass-court tournaments leading up to Wimbledon.
For the 2025 calendar year, the LTA reported a four-percent decline in its Wimbledon surplus to 48.6 million pounds ($65 million) compared with the previous year, although overall revenue increased by two percent, partly due to the addition of a women’s tour event at Queen’s Club.
World No. 1 Sinner enters Wimbledon as the defending men’s champion after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final. On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek returns as defending champion, while Alcaraz will miss this year’s tournament because of a wrist injury. / LBG
