WTA Announces Equal Prize Money for Italian Open and All Combined 1000 Events in 2027

The Italian Open will award women the same total prize money as men in 2027, closing a gap that saw women receive $8.3 million compared to $9.6 million for men this year.

The WTA Tour announced Thursday that the Italian Open will award women the same total prize money as men starting in 2027. This initiative ensures that all combined WTA 1000 events, including the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, will offer equal pay for the first time. During the 2024 tournament in Rome, the men’s prize pool totaled $9.6 million while the women received $8.3 million. These changes follow a previous 2023 pledge by Italian Open organizers to reach parity by 2025, a goal that was not met.

Under a new one-year pilot program for the 2027 season, the WTA will also reduce the number of annual WTA 500-level tournaments required for top-50 players from six to four. This adjustment results in a base playing commitment of 14 WTA tournaments plus the four Grand Slams. WTA chair Valerie Camillo stated the tour responded to player feedback regarding calendar demands, while Jessica Pegula, who chairs the tour architecture council, noted the changes allow athletes more flexibility to build schedules around personal and competitive goals.

Additional updates for the 2027 calendar include the expansion of the WTA 125-level event in Manila, Philippines, to a WTA 250-level tournament. This move follows the rise of home player Alex Eala, who is currently ranked 18th. The WTA will evaluate the impact of these pilot changes to inform scheduling and prize money decisions for 2028 and beyond. Separately, the tour recently designated Charlotte, North Carolina, as the host for the WTA Finals for the next three years.