Wimbledon 2026 is set to commence on Monday, June 29, with defending men's champion Jannik Sinner and women's champion Iga Swiatek leading the field at the All England Club. The tournament runs for 14 consecutive days, concluding with the men's singles final on Sunday, July 12. The traditional Middle Sunday rest day, abolished in 2022, will not be observed.
Notable Absences and Wildcards
Carlos Alcaraz, winner in 2023 and 2024, will miss the tournament due to a wrist injury. British star Emma Raducanu has also withdrawn after suffering a stress fracture in her foot. However, the return of Serena Williams, who received a wildcard, has generated significant excitement. The 23-time Grand Slam champion will also compete in doubles with her sister Venus. Other women's wildcards include French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska and British players Harriet Dart, Alicia Dudeney, Hannah Klugman, Mika Stojsavljevic, Katie Swan, and Mimi Xu.
In the men's singles, wildcards have been awarded to five British players: Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel, and Harry Wendelken. Additionally, Grigor Dimitrov and Stan Wawrinka have received wildcards.
Seeds and Draw
The men's singles top seed is Jannik Sinner, followed by Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic, and Daniil Medvedev. Other notable seeds include Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Frances Tiafoe, and Cameron Norrie. In the women's draw, Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed, with Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka among the leading contenders.
Selected first-round matches include Sinner vs. Miomir Kecmanovic, Novak Djokovic vs. Wu Yibing, and Taylor Fritz vs. Jack Draper. In the women's draw, Iga Swiatek faces Taylor Townsend, Aryna Sabalenka meets Teodora Kostovic, and Serena Williams plays Maya Joint.
Broadcast and Prize Money
The BBC remains the principal broadcaster, with coverage on BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC iPlayer. For the first time, TNT Sports will co-broadcast the singles finals alongside the BBC. Clare Balding leads the BBC presenting team, with analysts including Tim Henman, John McEnroe, and Martina Navratilova.
A record total prize fund of £64.2 million will be distributed. Singles champions will receive £3.6 million, runners-up £1.8 million, and first-round losers £80,000.
Schedule and Tickets
Play on outside courts begins at 11:00 BST daily, with No.1 Court starting at 13:00 and Centre Court at 13:30. The full schedule includes first-round matches from June 29 to 30, second round on July 1-2, third round on July 3-4, fourth round on July 5-6, quarter-finals on July 7-8, women's semi-finals on July 9, men's semi-finals on July 10, women's final on July 11, and men's final on July 12.
While the public ballot for Centre Court and No.1 Court tickets has closed, fans can queue daily for grounds passes or show court tickets via the ticket resale kiosk north of Court 18.
