The winners of the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final, featuring South Africa and Australia at Lord’s from 11th June, will claim a remarkable prize of USD 3.6 million—more than double the amount from the past two cycles. Meanwhile, the runners-up will pocket USD 2.1 million, a significant increase from the previous USD 800,000.
Historically, winners such as New Zealand and Australia each took home USD 1.6 million. The ICC notes, “The increase in prize money exhibits the ICC’s efforts to prioritize Test cricket as it looks to build on the momentum of the first three cycles of the nine-team competition.”
India, securing the third position in the table, will collect over USD 1.4 million, and fourth-placed New Zealand will receive USD 1.2 million. Remarkably, even the teams finishing fifth, England (USD 960,000), and sixth, Sri Lanka (USD 840,000), are receiving more than past runners-up.
South Africa topped the 2023-25 edition with eight wins from twelve matches, securing their final spot with a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan. Defending champions Australia clinched their place by outdoing India, winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 on home soil.
Both teams have announced their squads for the final. South Africa will rely heavily on fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who has returned after a one-month suspension for a doping violation. Australia sees the return of Cameron Green to their Test lineup following surgery on his lower spine last year.
