US Open Tennis 2026 Prize Money: Winner Payouts and Total Purse
Updated 7 September 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.
The main draw runs from 30 August to 13 September, with the women’s final on 12 September and the men’s final on 13 September. Below is 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 Roland Garros and Wimbledon weighted their 2026 rises the same way.
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 was played from 24 to 26 August, before the singles began. Sixteen teams, shortened scoring, two days of main draw play, 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 |
Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik took the $1 million prize, beating Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 in the final on 26 August.
Runners up and semifinalists are up 25 percent on 2025, and first round teams doubled to $40,000. New for 2026 was an eight team qualifying round on 24 August that sent two pairs into the draw, a response to complaints that the revamped format shut out doubles specialists.
For scale, Wimbledon paid its 2026 mixed doubles champions £148,000 per pair. New York pays close to seven times that for a two day event.
Qualifying Prize Money
Qualifying ran from 24 to 28 August, a day longer than planned after rain washed out the final round on the Thursday. It was free to attend during Fan Week. Each draw held 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, up from $1.6 million in 2025. That 44 percent rise is the largest of any category on the sheet. It covers men’s, women’s and quad events across singles and doubles.
Wheelchair singles champions earn $104,000 each. Wimbledon paid £82,000 and Roland Garros €68,000 for the same title this year.
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 |
The USTA publishes one headline number rather than a category split, so the rows above are calculated from the official round by round tables. On court payouts come to roughly $100 million.
The rest covers hotel costs, per diem expenses and the junior draws, which is why the figure is described 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 Australian Open purse looks large in local currency but converts to well under the US Open figure.
The US Open is the first tennis tournament to pass $100 million in player compensation. Wimbledon narrowed the gap in June with a 20 percent rise of its own, but the increase in New York restored a 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 |
| 2021 | $57,462,000 | $2,500,000 |
The purse has almost doubled in five years and the champion’s cheque has more than doubled. Two consecutive years of 20 percent growth is without precedent at this tournament.
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. That year John Newcombe and Margaret Court each received $25,000. The other three majors followed slowly, with Wimbledon last in 2007. The tennis centre in Flushing Meadows carries King’s 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. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik won the 2026 mixed doubles title on 26 August. 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.
The main draw 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.