Wimbledon’s probably the only premium sporting event in the world that offers on-the-day entry.
If you want to nab one of the 500 tickets available each day for Centre Court and Courts 1 and 2 (1,500 total) you’ll need to join the famous Wimbledon queue and camp overnight.
Make sure you’re prepared with our quick guide to camping for show court tickets.
- Queuing and camping occurs in Wimbledon Park.
- Make sure you bring enough cash to cover the cost of your ticket. Ticket sales are CASH ONLY. Prices for tickets will probably range between £40-70.
- If you want one of those 500 Centre Court tickets you’ll need to be in the queue long before midday (it’s advisable to be in line well before then, especially in the second week).
- When you join the line, you receive a dated and numbered card from a steward that you must keep until the turnstile. This card denotes your position in the line. Whatever you do, don’t lose it, as it’s the only proof of your position.
- Once you have your card you’re free for the rest of the day. Set up camp, explore the park or even venture into town for lunch or dinner.
- The camping grounds are famous for having a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. There are loads of impromptu games of volleyball, football and frisbee during the day. At night, many a discussion about tennis takes place over a bottle of wine. Some people make lifelong friendships when sharing food, drink and old war stories.
- There are food vendors selling the customary burgers and ice cream.
- The toilet facilities are excellent and kept very clean.
- Stewards ensure campers awake at 6am. Space is required early for the 6,000 or so people who join the back of the line each morning for ground passes. Consider getting up at 5am to beat the rush to the bathroom facilities (there are sinks where you can brush your teeth).
- Once you’ve packed up your camping gear get straight into the line for left luggage. Camping equipment costs £5 to store, while smaller items each cost £1 to deposit. You can only bring one bag into the grounds, which must be soft-sided and measure no more than 16” x 12″ x 12″ (40cm x 30cm x 30cm).
- Around 7.30am, starting from the front of the queue, stewards begin distributing coloured wristbands indicating entitlement to a ticket for Centre, Court 1 or Court 2 (choice is obviously dependent on your position in the line).
- Sales are strictly one ticket per person and, as we said before, cash only.
IF YOU DON’T WANT TO CAMP OVERNIGHT, FOLLOW THESE TIPS FROM CHEAPFLIGHTERS KELLY AND WENDY WHO QUEUED UP LAST WEEK:
DAYTIME
You can get in the queue in the morning if you get there early enough – usually before 8am. 6:30am–7:30am is recommended. They were turning people back from the Tube at 7:45am in Putney last week. The ticket prices start from £20 for a ground pass to courts 3-19.
EVENING
From 5pm you can buy “resell” tickets from people who hand in their tickets when they leave at the end of the day. Tickets cost £14 for ground passes. You can get resell tickets from behind court 18 if you queue. Tickets are £5 for court 1 and 2, £10 for Centre Court. Warning: games may go on until 11pm!
Good luck!
See the official Wimbledon website for further information. For a map showing the location of the queue relative to the AELTC see the British Tennis website.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Images: uitdragerij, twitter.com/kevstv)
