How To Get Tickets To Wimbledon 2026
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2 weeks ago
From the ballot to the queue, we have all the details – including how to get your paws on tickets first
The Wimbledon Tennis Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world – and arguably the most famous. Next returning from Monday 29 June until Sunday 12 July 2026, the ticket ballot is officially open. Here’s everything you need to know to secure your spot at Wimbledon 2026, plus everything you need to know before you go.
Wimbledon 2026 Guide: History, Ballot, Queue & More
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A Brief History Of Wimbledon
When the first ever Wimbledon Championships took place on 9 June 1877, things looked a little different. Played at Worple Road in Wimbledon, they were advertised as a ‘lawn tennis meeting, open to all amateurs’ – and women were not allowed take part. Competitors were asked to bring their own racquets while the club’s gardener provided the balls, and the final was watched by a crowd of just 200 people.
In 1884, the All England Club agreed to open the Championships up to both sexes, and The Ladies Singles was added to the programme. By the 1900s, the Championships had become an international affair – and since then, it has grown to become one of the most prestigious events on the summer sporting calendar.
How Does The Tennis Work At Wimbledon?
Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, alongside the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open. As well as having a different name to the others, the Wimbledon tournament stands apart as it’s played on grass, while the others are played on hard court surfaces or red clay.
Each year, both the men’s and the women’s single competitions are made up of 128 players. They enter a series of single elimination knockout matches, until just two remain in the final. Alongside this, there’s the doubles and mixed doubles, a wheelchair category and boys’ and girls’ tournaments.
How To Get Tickets To Wimbledon 2026
The usual way to get your hands on Wimbledon tickets is by entering the ballot, a randomised ticket allocation system ran by the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (aka the Wimbledon host club). It’s not possible to request tickets for particular days, courts or seats through the ballot: these are chosen by a randomised process.
The ballot is now officially open for another year. But don’t panic: it will remain open until Tuesday 16 September at 11.59pm BST, giving hopefuls two weeks to enter.
The ballot opens for a fortnight every year in September; you can apply at anytime within this window and it will have no bearing on your application. To enter the ballot, you need a myWimbledon account, which can be created here (navigate to ‘Login’ and then click ‘Join’) – if you don’t have one already. Then, you just need to fill out the short ballot form here, and your entry is in the raffle.
If your ballot is successful, you will be emailed in October with the option to purchase your allocated tickets; you will have 14 days to do so before your tickets are released to someone else. You can only purchase two tickets, and they cannot be transferred or resold – so this isn’t a good option if you want to get someone a ticket as a gift.
Applications are limited to one per household, and if you win you will be offered two tickets, usually sat together. The odds of a successful ballot application are around one in ten.
If you miss out on ballot tickets, you’re not alone: only one in 10 applications are successful. But all hope is not lost: you could brave the queue…
How Does The Wimbledon Queue Work?
The Wimbledon queue is a famous institution, and pretty much epitomises Britishness. Every day, Wimbledon allocates around 500 tickets for Centre Court, 500 tickets for Court 1 and 500 tickets for Court 2, and at 9.30am they are distributed to queuers on a first-come-first-served basis. Remaining queuers are afforded a Ground Pass (of which there are a few thousand), giving access to the famous site and a plethora of games played out on the public courts.
The really committed fans camp out overnight, while others get there in the early hours of the morning – or you can head on down post-5pm to catch some of the later matches, when tickets are slightly cheaper and the queue will move more quickly.
For an insider’s top tips, check out this guide to Wimbledon penned by a former court attendant.
Wimbledon Ticket Prices 2025
If you don’t want to be surprised when you receive your winning ballot or arrive at the front of the Queue, keep reading.
In 2025, Wimbledon tickets ranged from £55 for seats on Court 3 towards the beginning of the tournament, to £350 for seats on Centre Court for the finals – and in 2026, the price range is the same.
Grounds Passes are the cheapest way to get into Wimbledon, and in 2025 were priced at £30. In 2026, there is a slight increase: £33 for the first eight days, falling to £26 for days nine to 11, and £21 for the final three days of the Championship.
Hospitality Tickets
If you miss out on the ballot or want a bit more flexibility, the handy side entrance to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships is the hospitality tickets. This is a popular option for international visitors to Wimbledon, giving more security over the days you will be attending. Not only do these tickets grant access onto Wimbledon’s courts (specifically Centre Court and Court 1), but you’ll also have the best seats in the house.
Renowned hospitality providers Keith Prowse are the official VIP partners of Wimbledon, with their highly regarded packages selling out year after year despite prices starting at £1,145 per person. A small price to pay for guaranteed seats on a day of your choice, plus a delicious culinary experience? We’ll let you decide.
How To Get There
Underground, train or car? We’ve got the insider’s guide to travelling to Wimbledon.
Food & Drink At Wimbledon
There are plenty of options for dining and drinking, from high-end restaurants to picnics. And, of course, you’ll never be far from a stall serving strawberries and cream. In terms of drinks, expect lots of Pimm’s, Lanson and Sipsmith – all official drinks partners. Here’s our full guide to what’s on offer.
You’re also allowed to bring your own food and drink – though hard-sided containers, vacuum flasks over 500ml and items like picnic hampers and cool boxes aren’t permitted. In terms of alcohol, each person can bring the equivalent of one bottle of wine or champagne, two cans of beer, or two premixed aperitifs. Spirits and fortified wines aren’t allowed.
If you’re out and about in London, here’s where to eat nearby Wimbledon, here are six Wimbledon-inspired pop-ups to enjoy, and here are the big screens in London streaming the action all tournament long.
For more information, visit wimbledon.com
