Upcoming Wimbledon dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Choosing your court at the All England Club
Decide on the court first, because each one comes with different odds of getting in and of seeing tennis. Centre Court is the prize: the top seeds, the semifinals and finals, and a roof that keeps play going in rain. No.1 Court is the smart second choice, with a roof of its own and a full first-week schedule of top players. No.2 Court is close and low to the grass but open to the weather. A grounds pass is the best value in week one and a thin offer in week two.
The Championships run for two weeks from the last Monday in June or the first Monday in July. The 2027 edition, the tournament's 150th-anniversary year, is listed for June 28 to July 11, 2027.
The show courts compared
Centre Court
Seats 14,979, with the Royal Box at the south end. Its retractable roof has been in service since 2009 and takes about 20 minutes to close. This is the ticket most likely to deliver a full day of play when the forecast is bad.
No.1 Court
Seats 12,345 and got its roof for 2019, when about 900 seats were also added. In week one it hosts plenty of top players, and its matches often run longer and closer than the headline slot on Centre.
No.2 Court
About 4,000 seats, with the playing surface roughly 3.5 meters below ground level, so the view is low and intimate. No roof, so rain can erase the day.
Outer courts and The Hill
A grounds pass covers the unreserved outer courts, including No.3 Court, Court 12 and Court 18, plus The Hill (officially Aorangi Terrace, widely called Henman Hill), where a giant screen shows Centre and No.1 Court play. In week one you can sit a few rows from players on the outer courts; by week two, nearly everything worth watching is on the show courts.
Late finishes can be cut short: a local curfew ends play at 11 p.m., so a long match under the roof may be suspended until the next day.
Debentures: the one resale-eligible seat
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) states that, aside from debenture tickets, tickets must not be sold, transferred or advertised for sale, and that tickets offered that way will be void. A debenture is a five-year investment issued by a club subsidiary to fund construction; each one entitles the holder to a pair of seats for every day of The Championships over those five years, and holders are allowed to sell those seats on. In practice, a debenture seat is the only Wimbledon ticket you can legitimately buy secondhand, so confirm that any resale listing is identified as one.
Debenture demand tracks the draw. Centre Court in week two, the semifinals and the finals sell hardest; first-week No.1 Court days are easier. A home favorite or a big name advancing can move prices quickly. A Reserved Seat order carries a 100% guarantee, but the club's ticket rules still govern the ticket itself.
Entering the public ballot
Since 1924, the ballot has been the main way the public gets show-court seats, and demand always far exceeds supply. A computer draws applicants at random, and the club assigns the date, court and seats; you cannot pick them. One entry is allowed per household, per email address and per myWimbledon account (the free club account you must register to apply).
Ballot tickets cannot be transferred. Unsuccessful applicants get access to a returns shop before the tournament. As of the club's latest update, the ballot for 2027 has closed, which leaves the Queue, debentures and hospitality for anyone without a place. To hear when the next one opens, sign up on the club's ballot page.
Camping in the Queue for same-day seats
Few major events sell top seats on the day; Wimbledon does, through the Queue in Wimbledon Park, about five minutes on foot from Southfields station on the District line. Under the 2026 rules:
- Allocation: 500 tickets each for Centre Court (except the final four days), No.1 Court and No.2 Court on days those courts are used, one per person and non-transferable.
- Queue cards: dated, numbered cards mark your place; once capacity is reached, no more are issued.
- App and account: the club asked queuers to download the Wimbledon app and set up a myWimbledon account, scanned at purchase.
- The morning: stewards wake campers at 6 a.m. and hand out court wristbands from the front at 7:30 a.m., matched to that day's tickets.
- Camping rules: two-person tents only, no stoves or barbecues, and left-luggage bags no bigger than 60 by 45 by 25 cm.
For a show court, expect to camp overnight; for 2026 the Queue opened at 2 p.m. on the Sunday before play. A grounds pass usually needs only an early start on the day, though once the grounds reach capacity, entry depends on others leaving. Check the club's Queue page for live status before you set out.
Whites, strawberries and 150 years of grass
Play began on July 9, 1877, with a single event, the Gentlemen's Singles. The club moved to its Church Road grounds in 1922, and every match is still played outdoors on grass.
- Dress code: competitors wear white or almost entirely white. Spectators are not bound by it.
- Strawberries and cream: the signature snack, eaten in huge quantities.
- Middle Sunday: once a rest day, a scheduled day of play since 2022.
- Low-key branding: sponsorship is kept discreet, and Slazenger has supplied the balls since 1902.
For fans planning a summer of tennis, the year's last Grand Slam, the US Open Tennis Championships, follows in Queens from late August.
Frequently asked questions
Which court should I try for at Wimbledon?
Centre Court if you want the biggest names and a roof against rain. No.1 Court is a strong alternative with its own roof, while a grounds pass is the best value in the first week.
Is it legal to buy a Wimbledon ticket secondhand?
Only debenture tickets are authorized for resale. The club says other tickets offered for sale or transfer will be void, so confirm that a listing is a debenture seat.
What time do I need to join the Wimbledon Queue?
For a Centre, No.1 or No.2 Court ticket, plan to camp overnight, since each court releases about 500 Queue tickets a day. For a grounds pass, an early arrival on the day is usually enough.
Is the 2027 Wimbledon ballot still open?
No. The club reports that the 2027 ballot has closed. Remaining routes are the Queue, debenture tickets and official hospitality.
Why do Wimbledon matches sometimes stop at 11 p.m.?
A local curfew requires play to end by 11 p.m., so a late match under the roof can be suspended and finished the next day.
Do spectators have to wear white?
No. The all-white rule applies to players only.