The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has officially come to an end with RCB defeating GT by five wickets in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. The victory saw RCB lift the coveted IPL trophy for the second time in a row and etch their name into the history books once again.
While the title and bragging rights are the ultimate prize, teams also receive substantial financial rewards based on their performance throughout the season. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) maintaining one of the richest prize pools in franchise cricket, the top teams have secured significant earnings for their efforts.
How much will the IPL 2026 winner and runner-up receive?
Following their triumph in the IPL 2026 final, RCB will take home a whopping ₹20 crore in prize money. The victorious side capped off an impressive campaign by overcoming GT in the summit clash.
Meanwhile, the runners-up, GT, will not leave empty-handed. Despite falling short in the final hurdle, the Shubman Gill-led team will receive ₹13 crore for finishing second in the tournament.
The IPL prize money has witnessed a significant rise since the inaugural edition in 2008, when the champions received just ₹4.8 crore. The figure was later increased to ₹15 crore before eventually reaching the current ₹20 crore mark.
IPL 2026 Prize Money Distribution
| Position | Prize Money |
| Champions - Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | ₹20 crore |
| Runners-up - Gujarat Titans (GT) | ₹13 crore |
| Qualifier 2 Loser - Rajasthan Royals (RR) | ₹7 crore |
| Eliminator Loser - Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | ₹6.5 crore |
Rajasthan Royals (RR), who were knocked out by Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, received ₹7 crore for their third-place finish. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who exited the tournament in the Eliminator, earned ₹6.5 crore.
Franchises finishing outside the playoff positions did not receive any prize money. However, they continue to generate revenue through sponsorship deals, central broadcasting rights, merchandise sales, and ticketing income.
Individual award winners also pocket lucrative rewards
Apart from the team prize pool, the IPL also rewards outstanding individual performances throughout the season. The Orange Cap winner, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, awarded to the leading run-scorer of the tournament, receives ₹10 lakh, while the Purple Cap winner, awarded to the highest wicket-taker, also takes home ₹10 lakh.
Sooryavanshi, again, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season was rewarded with ₹10 lakh; he was also declared the Emerging Player of the Season and received a larger cash prize of ₹20 lakh.
Rajasthan Royals prodigy Sooryavanshi finished the season with 776 runs and remained among the frontrunners for the Orange Cap, while Gujarat Titans speedster Kagiso Rabada ended the campaign with 28 wickets to stay in contention for the Purple Cap.
With a total prize pool exceeding ₹46.5 crore, IPL 2026 once again underlined why it remains one of the most rewarding and prestigious T20 leagues in world cricket, offering both glory and substantial financial incentives for teams and players alike.