The United Cup 2026 will mark the opening of a new tennis season with players re-uniting for the tournament to represent their respective nation. The event is set to take place in Perth and Sydney, Australia held from 2 January through 11 January.
With stars such as Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu in action, the tournament promises to be an absolute cracker.
United States are the defending champions.
The United Cup is an international hard court tennis competition featuring mixed-gender teams from 18 countries. The event is played across multiple Australian cities over 11 days in the leadup to the Australian Open.
Also Read: United Cup 2026: Confirmed Players And Teams
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United Cup 2026: Points Distribution
The United Cup 2026 uses a unique ranking point system that depends on two things: the round of the tournament and the ranking of the opponent you defeat.
A player can earn a maximum of 500 points by winning every match and the tournament.
1. Singles Point Distribution
Points are awarded for each match win. If a player beat a higher-ranked player, he/she will earn more points than they would earn for beating a lower-ranked one.
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| Opponent Ranking | Group Stage | Quarter-final | Semi-final | Final |
| Rank 1–10 | 55 | 80 | 130 | 180 |
| Rank 11–20 | 45 | 65 | 105 | 140 |
| Rank 21–30 | 40 | 55 | 90 | 120 |
| Rank 31–50 | 35 | 45 | 70 | 95 |
| Rank 51–100 | 25 | 35 | 45 | 60 |
| Rank 101–250 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 40 |
| Rank 251+ | 15 | 20 | 20 | 35 |
2. Maximum Potential Points
To reach the 500-point ceiling, a player typically needs to go undefeated through the entire tournament while consistently facing top-tier opponents.
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Final Win: Up to 180 points.
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Semi-final Win: Up to 130 points.
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Quarter-final Win: Up to 80 points.
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Group Stage Wins: Up to 55 points per win.
3. Mixed Doubles Points
Unlike singles, mixed doubles matches do not award individual ranking points for the ATP or WTA singles/doubles rankings. However, winning the mixed doubles match is often the deciding factor in whether a team wins the overall “tie,” which leads to the team-based prize money bonuses mentioned earlier.
United Cup 2026: Prize money
The United Cup 2026 features a minimum total prize pool of US $11,806,190 (approximately AUD $17.5 million). This fund is split equally between the ATP and WTA tours, with $5,903,095 allocated to each.
The breakdown is divided into three main categories: Participation Fees, Per Team Wins, and Prize Money (Match Wins).
1. Participation Fees
This is a guaranteed payment based on a player’s world ranking. It ensures that top-tier talent is compensated just for appearing in the tournament.
| Ranking Tier | Estimated Fee (USD) |
| No. 1–10 | $200,000+ |
| No. 11–20 | $100,000+ |
| No. 21–30 | $60,000+ |
| No. 31–50 | $40,000+ |
| No. 51–100 | $25,000+ |
2. Per Team Wins
When a country wins a “tie” (the best of three matches), every member of the team receives a bonus, regardless of whether they played in that specific tie.
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| Round Won | Prize per Team Member (USD) |
| Final (Champions) | ~$25,000 |
| Semi-finals | ~$15,000 |
| Quarter-finals | ~$8,000 |
| Group Stage Win | ~$5,000 |
3. Individual Match Wins
Players earn additional money for every individual match they win. The amount increases as the tournament progresses.
| Round | No. 1 Singles Win | No. 2 Singles Win | Mixed Doubles Win (per player) |
| Final | ~$250,000 | ~$180,000 | ~$50,000 |
| Semi-finals | ~$130,000 | ~$95,000 | ~$25,000 |
| Quarter-finals | ~$70,000 | ~$50,000 | ~$13,000 |
| Group Stage | ~$38,000 | ~$26,000 | ~$7,000 |
