Wimbledon 2026 prize money surges 20% to record £64.2m after player protest

Prize money at Wimbledon this year has increased by 20 percent overall from 2025, reaching a record-breaking total of £64.2 million. This significant rise follows protests from some of the world's top tennis players regarding their earnings. The Wimbledon 2026 prize pot has been confirmed ahead of the tournament, which runs from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12.

During a press conference on Thursday, June 11, it was also announced that a statue of Sir Andy Murray remains on track to be unveiled at the 2027 Championships. However, fans were disappointed to learn that no World Cup matches will be shown on screens around the All England Club during the tournament, and players will not be allowed to bring dogs into the grounds during the fortnight.

Player Protests Spark Prize Money Increase

A coalition of top players staged a pre-tournament protest at the French Open, where media commitments were restricted to 15 minutes each after prize money rose by only 9.5 percent from 2025, remaining at roughly 15 percent of the revenue generated by the grand slam at Roland Garros. The players' group is pushing for the prize fund to represent closer to 22 percent of the tournament's overall revenue.

—

Wide Pickt banner — collaborative shopping lists app for Telegram, phone mockup with grocery list

Wimbledon's uplift from £53.5 million in total last year to £64.2 million marks a 20 percent increase. In 2026, the men's and ladies' singles winners will each earn £3.6 million, up from £3 million in 2025, and the runner-up will take home £1.8 million. Players in the singles draws will earn £80,000 for reaching the first round.

If Italy's Jannik Sinner retains the Wimbledon trophy, he will earn £3.6 million in 2026, an increase of £600,000 from his win last year.

All England Club Responds to Criticism

All England Club chair Debbie Jevans stated: "For 2026 the prize money fund will be £64.2 million, that is a 20 percent increase on last year and a £10.7 million uplift which allows players to continue to share in our success. Our support for players is distributed throughout the draw. Gentlemen and Ladies singles champions will each receive £3.6 million and first-round prize money is set at £80,000, so players that lose in the first round will share more than £5 million in prize money. These figures represent a substantial increase in prize money."

Wimbledon CEO Sally Bolton held talks with players' representative Larry Scott at Roland Garros last month. The players' group has put forward revenue as the key metric for determining a fair share of prize money, requesting 22 percent, though Jevans firmly rejected this as unreasonable.

After highlighting the £1 billion investment made by the All England Club into the sport since COVID-19—spanning prize money, upgraded facilities, and support for grass-court tournaments—Jevans said: "We have always been clear that we're on the side of the players. Certainly we want to have a fantastic Wimbledon for them, but using revenue to determine prize money makes no sense. We have said that to Larry Scott. Revenue does not take into account the investment we have made. We are non-profit, we are very different to a Masters 1000 event, and everything goes back into the sport. I am frustrated that message has not got across, but we have constant dialogue with Larry in this regard, and we're hoping that the message will get across so the players understand the investment back into the game, which is so very important and allows us to be sustainable and it will do into the future."

Jevans added: "There has been no dialogue with the players direct but we have had dialogue with Larry Scott, who has been appointed by some players to represent them. We have had dialogue, email exchanges and a meeting in Paris. After Paris you have all read the 22 percent and £70 million, what we have done is right and appropriate. We begin looking at prize money in January. We looked at investment in facilities, in grassroots and player prize money. I would hope the players would welcome it."