The band that is crowned the 2026 British Open Champion will not only carry away the iconic British Open Gold Shield, but will also boost their bank balance by £6,000.

As previously reported on 4BR it marks a further increase in the prize money for the winner, which had been £3,000 from 1998 to 2023.

In addition, this year the two podium finishers also receive £2,500 and £2,000. The increase is in line with the Mortimer family's aim of rewarding performance excellence linked to the event's long-term financial sustainability.

Biggest Prize Pot

However, the British Open doesn't provide the largest overall prize pot in UK — which is provided by Brass in Concert Championships. It has a first prize (2025) of £4,000 with podium prizes of £3,000 and £2,000.

It also offers cash awards to all of its competing bands as well as additional cash prizes and awards, which amount to a total prize fund of £15,350. In addition, each band is paid an amount towards travel costs.

No increase

Meanwhile, the National Championship of Great Britain has cash prizes for its podium prize winners of £2,000 plus podium prizes of £1,500 and £1,000. The first prize has not increased since 1980.

The European Championship offers a slightly different prize-pot set up; a mix of cash and instruments. The 2025 winner was presented with EURO 6,000 plus a Geneva Cardinal baritone, whilst the podium finishers got EURO 4,000 and a Cardinal cornet and EURO 1,500 and a Cardinal soprano. There were also prizes for fourth (Heritage cornet) and fifth (EURO 2,000).

Historic worth

And if you are wondering how this measures up historically, then 100 years ago, the winner of the British Open picked up the Gold Shield and £150 in cash — which would be worth around £8,200 today (using the Bank of England guide).

The first winners cheque at Brass in Concert in 1978 was £1,000 (worth around £5,650 today).

The National first prize of £2,000 in 1980 equates to around £8,900 today, whilst the first prize at the first ever European Championships in 1978 was £1,000 (£5,650 or EURO 6,464 today) — although there were no additional instrument prizes.

Tickets and Live Stream

Tickets for the 2026 British Open are available at:
https://bmusic.co.uk/events/the-172nd-british-open-brass-band-championship

Live stream coverage is available at:
https://thebritishopen.net/the-british-open-event/