Wimbledon raises 2026 prize money 20% to £64.2 million

Wimbledon has announced a record 20 percent increase in prize money for the 2026 Championships, raising the total purse to 64.2 million pounds. The move follows escalating tensions with top players who have demanded a greater share of tournament revenues and protested at recent Grand Slam events.

The All England Club revealed the figures on Thursday, marking a 10.7 million pound increase from the 2025 total of 53.5 million. The men's and women's singles champions will each receive 3.6 million pounds, up from 3 million. Significant boosts were also directed toward earlier rounds, with first-round losers receiving 80,000 pounds and qualifying prize money increasing by 25 percent to 6.2 million pounds.

This announcement comes amid a sustained dispute between the sport's leading stars and the four Grand Slam tournaments. For over a year, a group of top players has pushed for a larger percentage of tournament revenues, contributions to player welfare initiatives, and the formation of a formal player council. Their protest escalated at last month's French Open, where many top-10 players, including world number ones Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, limited their pre-tournament media...