Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to win back-to-back IPL titles. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 75 off 42 balls was the centrepiece of the chase, and it helped RCB walk away not just with the trophy but with a cool ₹20 crore in prize money. Gujarat Titans, who gave it everything in the final, earned ₹13 crore as runners-up.
The total prize pool for IPL 2026 crossed ₹46.5 crore — a number that tells you everything about how big this tournament has become financially. The confetti has settled, the trophies have been handed out, and the cheques are being written. IPL 2026 is done and dusted — and what a season it was.
RCB’s Historic Triumph — And What It Earned Them
RCB became only the third franchise in IPL history to successfully defend their title, joining MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (2010 and 2011) and Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians (2019 and 2020). That’s the kind of company that puts you in the history books permanently.
For that historic achievement, the BCCI rewarded RCB with ₹20 crore — the largest single prize in the tournament. It’s a reflection of not just one great night in Ahmedabad, but a full season of consistent, high-quality cricket that saw them top the standings and then dominate the playoffs.
GT’s Runner-Up Earnings
Gujarat Titans had a season that deserved better than a final defeat, but ₹13 crore for finishing as runners-up is still a very significant reward. They recovered brilliantly from a heavy Qualifier 1 loss to beat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 before pushing RCB all the way in the final. Shubman Gill’s captaincy and Kagiso Rabada’s relentless bowling kept GT competitive throughout the season.
Complete IPL 2026 Team Prize Money
Here’s how the money was distributed across all finishing positions this season:
| Position | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winners (RCB) | ₹20 crore |
| Runners-up (GT) | ₹13 crore |
| 3rd Place (Qualifier 2 loser) | ₹7 crore |
| 4th Place (Eliminator loser) | ₹6.5 crore |
Teams finishing outside the top four don’t receive prize money directly, but they still earn handsomely through broadcasting rights deals, sponsorships, and franchise valuations — so nobody goes home empty-handed.
Individual Award Winners and Their Earnings
The individual awards this season were dominated by one extraordinary name — a 15-year-old from Rajasthan who made IPL 2026 his personal showcase.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals had a season that will be talked about for years. He scored 776 runs at an average of 48.5 and a staggering strike rate of 237.3, hitting 72 sixes along the way. He walked away with three individual awards — the Orange Cap (₹10 lakh), the Emerging Player award (₹20 lakh), and the Most Valuable Player award (₹10 lakh). At just 15 years and 65 days old, he became the youngest Orange Cap winner in IPL history.
Kagiso Rabada of the Gujarat Titans claimed the Purple Cap with 29 wickets across the season, pipping RCB’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who finished with 28. Rabada earned ₹10 lakh for topping the bowling charts.
Additional Awards
A few other recognitions rounded off the season’s prize-giving:
Punjab Kings took home the Fairplay Award. Manish Pandey won the Catch of the Season. Mohammed Siraj of the Gujarat Titans led the Green Dot Ball award with 172 dot balls bowled. Sai Sudharsan hit the most fours in the tournament with 75 boundaries. And Vaibhav Sooryavanshi claimed the Super Striker and Super Sixes awards too — because apparently three trophies weren’t quite enough.
A Season That Earned Its Place in History
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans together earned ₹33 crore in prize money from the final alone. The ₹46.5 crore-plus total prize pool reflects just how far the IPL has grown since its first edition in 2008, when the numbers looked very different.
But beyond the money, IPL 2026 gave cricket fans something genuinely special — a run machine in Sooryavanshi, a championship-defending RCB side led by a still-brilliant Kohli, and a Gujarat Titans team that refused to make anything easy. That’s the kind of season no prize money can fully capture.