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The 2026 US Open will offer a record $108 million prize fund, the biggest in Grand Slam history.
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Singles champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka will each receive $5.5 million.
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A new Grand Slam Player Council will give players a greater voice on prize money and welfare issues.
August 20, (THEWILL) — The US Open is set to make Grand Slam history after announcing a record prize fund of $108 million (£79.2 million) for the 2026 tournament.
The total represents a 20% increase from last year’s prize pool and comes amid growing pressure from leading tennis players for the four Grand Slam tournaments to increase payments and improve welfare provisions.
The singles champions will each receive $5.5 million (£4.03 million), representing a 10% rise compared with the 2025 champions’ payout.
However, the biggest percentage increase will go to players who exit the tournament in the opening round.
First-round losers will receive $140,000 (£102,667), an increase of $30,000, or 27%, from last year.
The distribution is part of a broader attempt by the US Open to increase financial rewards throughout the tournament rather than concentrating the largest increases on players who reach the second week.
Bigger rewards for players at the bottom of the draw
The decision comes after concerns from players that previous prize-money increases disproportionately benefited those who progressed deepest into Grand Slam tournaments.
World number three, Jessica Pegula, highlighted the issue earlier this year, arguing that last year’s US Open increase was weighted towards players who needed the additional money least.
This year’s structure takes a different approach.
The percentage increase is highest in the first round and decreases progressively through the later stages of the tournament.
That means players who make an early exit will receive a considerably larger increase than those competing for the title.
The US Open has also increased payments for competitors in the mixed doubles tournament, which takes place during qualifying week.
While the mixed doubles champions will continue to share $1 million, players eliminated in the opening round will now receive twice as much as they did previously.
$2m set aside for player welfare
The record prize fund also includes $2 million (£1.47 million) earmarked for a new player welfare and support programme.
Player representatives had asked each Grand Slam tournament to contribute $4 million in benefit payments during 2026.
The US Tennis Association has become the first of the four Grand Slam organisers to ring-fence money specifically for that purpose, although the $2 million will come from the overall US Open prize pool.
The money will initially be held in an independent account while the structure and details of the programme are finalised.
The initiative is part of a wider push by players for greater financial security and support beyond tournament prize money.
New Grand Slam Player Council announced
The four Grand Slam tournaments have also jointly announced the creation of a Grand Slam Player Council.
The council is expected to launch after this year’s US Open and will focus on giving players greater input into sporting matters across the four major tournaments.
Players have been invited to apply to become involved, with the exact structure and responsibilities of the council still being developed.
The body is also expected to provide a platform for players to raise specific concerns about prize money and welfare directly with the relevant Grand Slam tournament.
The announcement addresses another major demand from players, some of whom previously reduced their media commitments at the French Open and Wimbledon to highlight concerns over their treatment and representation.
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Players want a bigger share of Grand Slam revenue
Prize money has been at the centre of the disagreement between players and Grand Slam organisers.
Player representatives have called for each Grand Slam to dedicate 16% of its revenue to prize money, with that figure increasing to 22% by 2030.
It is possible that the US Open has already reached the requested level, although the figures cannot yet be independently confirmed because the USTA’s financial statement for 2025 has not been published.
The organisation has said the financial statement will be released before the main draw begins.
The US Open generated $559.7 million (£410.5 million) in revenue in 2024. If that figure increased by 10%, a prize pool of approximately $98.5 million would have been consistent with the players’ requested share.
The actual $108 million prize fund therefore represents a significant increase.
A major step in the players’ push for change
USTA chief executive Craig Tiley described the announcement as “a significant first step in a multi-year investment in athletes”.
Player representatives also welcomed the changes, particularly the substantial increase in prize money.
They said players wanted to build on the announcements while ensuring the new council becomes a genuinely representative and effective forum for consultation.
The changes could therefore mark the beginning of a broader shift in the relationship between tennis players and the organisations running the Grand Slam tournaments.
For the US Open, meanwhile, the record prize fund adds another major storyline ahead of the tournament.
The 2026 US Open begins on Sunday, 30 August, with the world’s leading players set to compete for both Grand Slam glory and the biggest prize pool in the history of the sport’s four major tournaments.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
