US Open Tennis 2026 Prize Money: Winner Payouts and Total Purse
Updated 24 August 2026
The US Open Tennis 2026 prize money total is $108 million, the largest player compensation package in the history of the sport. The USTA confirmed the figure on 20 August, a 20 percent rise on the $90 million paid in 2025.
Each singles champion earns $5.5 million. Losing in the first round pays $140,000. Both are Grand Slam records.
This page carries every payout, from qualifying to the trophy, plus how New York now compares with the other three majors.
Quick Facts
| 2026 total | $108,000,000 |
| Rise on 2025 | 20 percent, up from $90 million |
| Rise over two years | 44 percent |
| Singles champion | $5,500,000 each |
| Singles runner up | $2,800,000 |
| First round loser | $140,000, up 27 percent |
| First round qualifying loser | $32,000 |
| Doubles and mixed champions | $1,000,000 per team |
| Wheelchair events | $2,309,200 |
| Equal pay | Yes, since 1973 |
US Open Tennis 2026 Prize Money by Round: Singles
Identical for men and women at every stage.
| Round reached | 2026 payout | Change on 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | $5,500,000 | +10% |
| Runner up | $2,800,000 | +12% |
| Semifinalist | $1,450,000 | +15% |
| Quarterfinalist | $780,000 | +18% |
| Round of 16 | $480,000 | +20% |
| Round of 32 | $290,000 | +22% |
| Round of 64 | $190,000 | +23% |
| Round of 128 | $140,000 | +27% |
Notice the pattern. The smallest cheque grew fastest and the biggest grew slowest. That is deliberate. Early round money is what keeps players ranked 80 to 200 solvent, and all four majors moved the same way this year after sustained pressure from the locker room.
Each singles draw pays out $37.84 million, so the two together account for roughly $75.7 million of the purse.
Doubles Prize Money
Per team, split between two players. Same for men and women.
| Round reached | Payout per team |
|---|---|
| Champions | $1,000,000 |
| Runners up | $500,000 |
| Semifinalists | $250,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $125,000 |
| Round of 16 | $80,000 |
| Round of 32 | $50,000 |
| Round of 64 | $35,000 |
Prize money from the quarterfinals up is unchanged on 2025. The rises again land early, with first round teams up 17 percent. Each 64 team draw distributes $5.06 million.
Mixed Doubles Prize Money
The Mixed Doubles Championship runs on 25 and 26 August, before the singles begin. Sixteen teams, shortened scoring, two days, and $1 million to the winners.
| Round reached | Payout per team |
|---|---|
| Champions | $1,000,000 |
| Runners up | $500,000 |
| Semifinalists | $250,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $120,000 |
| Round of 16 | $40,000 |
| Qualifying, second round | $20,000 |
| Qualifying, first round | $10,000 |
Runners up and semifinalists are up 25 percent, and first round teams doubled to $40,000. New for 2026 is an eight team qualifying event on 24 August that sends two pairs into the main draw. It is the USTA answer to a year of complaints that the revamped format shut out doubles specialists.
For scale, Wimbledon paid its 2026 mixed doubles champions £148,000. New York pays close to seven times that, which is why Sabalenka, Djokovic, Swiatek and Osaka all entered.
Qualifying Prize Money
Qualifying runs 24 to 27 August and is free to attend during Fan Week. Each draw holds 128 players competing for 16 main draw places.
| Round reached | 2026 payout | Change on 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Final qualifying round | $66,000 | +15% |
| Second round | $48,000 | +15% |
| First round | $32,000 | +16% |
Losing your opening qualifying match pays $32,000. For a player ranked around 250, that single afternoon covers coaching and travel for months. The two qualifying draws distribute about $9.3 million.
Wheelchair Prize Money
Wheelchair tennis receives $2,309,200 in 2026, a 44 percent rise on last year and the largest single jump of any category. It covers men’s, women’s and quad events across singles and doubles.
Wheelchair singles champions earn $104,000 each.
The New Player Support Program
Sitting inside the $108 million is $2 million that no player wins on court.
The US Open is the first major to create a Player Support Program. The $2 million is split equally between men and women and held in escrow while the terms are settled with the newly formed Grand Slam Player Council. It is designed for mid career life events and retirement transitions, and eligibility covers every main draw singles and doubles competitor with no ranking tiers attached.
USTA chief executive Craig Tiley called it a first step in a multi year investment in athletes.
Where the US Open Tennis 2026 Prize Money Goes
| Category | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| Singles, both draws | $75,700,000 |
| Doubles, both draws | $10,100,000 |
| Qualifying, both draws | $9,300,000 |
| Mixed doubles | $2,900,000 |
| Wheelchair events | $2,309,200 |
| Player Support Program | $2,000,000 |
| Per diem, hotel and junior events | The balance |
On court payouts come to roughly $100 million. The rest covers hotel costs, per diem expenses and the junior draws, which is why the USTA publishes the figure as player compensation rather than prize money alone. Keep that in mind when comparing majors, because they do not all count these items the same way.
How the US Open Compares With the Other Grand Slams
| Tournament | 2026 total purse | Singles champion |
|---|---|---|
| US Open | $108 million | $5,500,000 |
| Wimbledon | £64.2 million, about $87 million | £3.6 million, about $4.9 million |
| Australian Open | A$111.5 million, about $73 million | A$4.15 million, about $2.7 million |
| Roland Garros | €61.7 million, about $72 million | €2.8 million, about $3.3 million |
Conversions use late August 2026 rates and move daily, so treat them as a guide.
The US Open is the first tournament in tennis to pass $100 million in player compensation. Wimbledon closed the gap in July with a 20 percent rise of its own, but the 2026 increase in New York restored a clear lead of roughly $21 million.
How the Purse Has Grown
| Year | Total purse | Singles champion |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $108,000,000 | $5,500,000 |
| 2025 | $90,000,000 | $5,000,000 |
| 2024 | $75,000,000 | $3,600,000 |
| 2023 | $65,000,020 | $3,000,000 |
| 2022 | $60,102,000 | $2,600,000 |
| 2013 | $34,252,000 | $2,600,000 |
The purse has more than tripled in thirteen years and risen 44 percent in the last two alone. Back to back increases of 20 percent are unprecedented for any Grand Slam.
Equal Prize Money for Men and Women
Men and women receive identical amounts at every round, in singles, doubles and qualifying.
The US Open introduced equal prize money in 1973 after a campaign led by Billie Jean King, the first major to do so. The others followed slowly, with Wimbledon last in 2007. The tennis centre in Flushing Meadows carries her name.
Equal pay at the majors is not the full picture. Combined events below Grand Slam level still pay men more, and the gap widens further down the calendar.
FAQ About US Open 2026 Prize Money
How much is the US Open 2026 prize money in total?
$108 million. The USTA confirmed the figure on 20 August 2026. It is a 20 percent rise on 2025 and the largest player compensation package in tennis history.
How much does the US Open 2026 winner get?
The men’s and women’s singles champions each receive $5.5 million, the highest winner’s cheque ever paid at a tennis tournament. The runners up earn $2.8 million.
How much do first round losers get at the US Open 2026?
$140,000 in the main draw, up 27 percent on 2025 and a Grand Slam record. Losing in the first round of qualifying pays $32,000.
Do men and women get the same prize money at the US Open?
Yes, at every round. The US Open introduced equal prize money in 1973, the first Grand Slam to do so.
Which Grand Slam pays the most in 2026?
The US Open. Its $108 million purse is roughly $21 million ahead of Wimbledon, and it is the first tennis event to pass $100 million in player compensation.
How much do US Open doubles and mixed doubles champions earn?
$1 million per team in all three events, split between the two players. Mixed doubles runners up receive $500,000, up 25 percent on 2025.
How much is US Open 2026 wheelchair prize money?
Wheelchair events receive $2,309,200, a 44 percent increase on 2025. Wheelchair singles champions earn $104,000 each.
What is the new US Open Player Support Program?
A $2 million fund inside the 2026 total, split equally between men and women. It is held in escrow while terms are agreed with the new Grand Slam Player Council, and covers mid career life events and retirement transitions for main draw competitors.
The US Open Tennis 2026 prize money settles one argument and starts another. At $108 million, with $5.5 million to each champion and $140,000 for a first round exit, New York is comfortably the richest event in the sport again.
The more interesting shift is where the growth landed: qualifiers, first round losers and wheelchair players gained far more in percentage terms than the champions did.
Play runs from 30 August to 13 September. For dates and TV times see the US Open 2026 schedule, and for who is in the draw see the players guide. Official figures are published by the USTA and the ATP Tour.