2026 Nobel Economics Prize: Announcement Expected on 12 October

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is scheduled to announce the 2026 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel on 12 October. Readers in the UK following the announcement should check the Nobel Prize’s official economics page for the confirmed time and, later, the laureate name and citation; no 2026 winner has been announced yet.

When the 2026 economics prize is announced

The Academy’s announcement is scheduled for Monday, 12 October. The Nobel Prize’s economics page is the place to verify the current-year listing and its time. Check that page before relying on a time shared elsewhere, as the available announcement information may change.

The date marks the next public milestone, not a result. Until the Academy issues its announcement, the identities of the 2026 laureate or laureates and the reason for the award remain unconfirmed.

What the economics prize recognises

The award recognises contributions to economic sciences. Its citation explains the specific work selected by the Academy, giving readers a concise account of why the recipient or recipients were honoured. The citation is more informative than a name alone: it identifies the contribution the prize recognises.

The prize is formally called the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. It was established by Sweden’s central bank in 1968 and awarded for the first time in 1969. It is associated with the Nobel prizes, but it was not one of the original prizes established through Alfred Nobel’s will.

How it differs from the original Nobel prizes

The original Nobel prizes were established by Alfred Nobel’s will and cover physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. The economics prize was created later by Sveriges Riksbank in memory of Nobel. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selects the laureates in both economics and the Nobel prizes in physics and chemistry, but the economics award has a distinct origin and formal name.

That distinction helps explain why official materials use the full title rather than simply calling it an original Nobel prize. In everyday coverage, “Nobel economics prize” is widely understood as shorthand for the award.

Where the citation and background will appear

Nobel Prize Outreach’s official economics prize page provides prize information and the current-year announcement. Once the Academy names the laureate or laureates, look there for the result and official citation, alongside background information about the award and its history.

For readers checking the announcement live, the key details to confirm are:

• Whether the Academy has published the 2026 announcement.
• The laureate name or names as listed on the Nobel page.
• The official citation describing the recognised contribution.

The next verifiable milestone is the Academy’s 12 October announcement. Until that release appears, the 2026 result remains pending.

Source: Nobel Prize Outreach