The 2026 US Open is offering $108 million in total player compensation, the largest package announced for the tournament. The men's and women's singles champions will each receive $5.5 million, while even a first-round singles appearance pays $140,000.
Those headline numbers are only part of the distribution. Qualifying, doubles, mixed doubles and wheelchair events also have dedicated prize pools, and the tournament has added a new player-support commitment.
Men's and women's singles prize money
Singles prize money is equal for men and women. The amount shown is paid to each player reaching that round:
- Winner: $5,500,000
- Runner-up: $2,800,000
- Semifinalist: $1,450,000
- Quarterfinalist: $780,000
- Round of 16: $480,000
- Round of 32: $290,000
- Round of 64: $190,000
- Round of 128: $140,000
The singles champions' payment is the biggest individual award, but the increases lower in the draw matter greatly to players who carry year-round travel, coaching, accommodation and medical costs.
How much do qualifying players earn?
Players who do not enter the main draw directly can compete through qualifying. The official 2026 amounts are:
- Final qualifying round: $66,000
- Second qualifying round: $48,000
- First qualifying round: $32,000
A qualifier who advances into the main draw then earns the main-draw payment associated with the round reached. Prize money is not necessarily the same as take-home income because players must account for taxes and professional expenses.
Men's and women's doubles payouts
Doubles payments are listed per team, not per individual player:
- Champions: $1,000,000 per team
- Runners-up: $500,000
- Semifinalists: $250,000
- Quarterfinalists: $125,000
- Third round: $80,000
- Second round: $50,000
- First round: $35,000
Unless a partnership has a different private arrangement, teammates divide the team award. A $1 million champion's cheque therefore does not automatically mean each doubles player receives $1 million.
Mixed doubles prize money
Mixed doubles also reaches a $1 million champion's payment per team in 2026:
- Champions: $1,000,000 per team
- Runners-up: $500,000
- Semifinalists: $250,000
- Quarterfinalists: $120,000
- First round: $40,000
- Second qualifying round: $20,000
- First qualifying round: $10,000
The structure reflects the tournament's expanded mixed-doubles presentation while maintaining the crucial distinction between a team payment and a per-player payment.
Why the total is higher than the visible draw payouts
Adding the singles and doubles tables does not fully explain the $108 million headline. Total player compensation includes other event payments and benefits rather than only the most familiar main-draw cheques.
The tournament lists $2,309,200 for wheelchair competition. It has also announced a Player Support Program with an initial $2 million commitment, split equally between men and women and intended to support mid-career life events and retirement transitions once programme details are finalised.
The USTA says total compensation is 20% higher than the $90 million record announced for 2025 and 44% higher across two years. Those comparisons refer to the overall package, not a guarantee that every round increased by the same percentage.
Does a player keep the entire published amount?
Published prize money is gross earnings. A player's final take-home amount can be reduced by national and local taxes, coaching fees, agent commissions, travel costs and other business expenses.
Tax treatment depends on residency, citizenship, treaties and where income is earned. Two players receiving the same official prize money can therefore finish with different net amounts. General prize tables should not be read as personal tax calculations.
Why first-round and qualifying money matters
The biggest stars earn endorsements as well as tournament prizes, but many professional players operate with narrow margins. They must fund a global schedule without a guaranteed salary and can lose income during injury periods.
Raising early-round and qualifying payments spreads more of a Grand Slam's revenue beyond the final weekend. It does not remove the financial gap across professional tennis, but it gives lower-ranked players a stronger return for reaching the sport's largest stages.
The official US Open prize-money table provides the round-by-round figures, and the tournament's $108 million announcement explains the overall increase and support programme.
Use our US Open 2026 schedule and viewing guide to follow the tournament. We also cover Anastasia Potapova's first New York fourth-round run and Coco Gauff's progress. More tennis and football reporting is available in the Sports section.
