Camping for show court tickets at Wimbledon

Wimbledon, unlike pretty much every other top sporting event in the world, offers on-the-day entry.

If you want to nab one of the 500 tickets made 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.

Where is the queue?

The queue is in Wimbledon Park.
Enter the park from either Wimbledon Park Road (8-10 minute walk from Southfields Underground Station) or Melrose Avenue (8-10 minute walk from Wimbledon Park Underground Station).

What time should I join the queue?

If you want a Centre Court ticket you’ll need to be in the queue long before midday (on the day before the day you want a ticket for). It’s advisable to be in line well before then, especially during the second week.
Sometimes it’s possible to turn up at around 5am on the day and get a ticket for Court 1, but camping overnight is the safest bet. If Andy Murray is scheduled to play, camping overnight is essential.

How does the queuing system work?

When you join the line, you receive a dated and numbered “queue card” from a steward. Everyone in your group must be present at this point – queue cards are strictly one per person.
Your queue card denotes your position in the line. Your position in the queue (and therefore what ticket you will receive) is dictated by what time you arrive in the queue.
Whatever you do, don’t lose your queue card – it’s your only proof of your position, and you need it to get a ticket.
Once in the queue you can set up camp. Those queuing overnight for show court tickets typically bring a tent.
You pitch your tent where you join the queue (as opposed to another designated area in the park). For example, if you have queue card number 438, you will be camping between 437 and 439.
Once you have marked your position in the queue you are relatively free to explore (see the “Can I leave the queue?” section below).
Quiet time is designated after 10pm.
Early in the morning – between 5am and 6am – stewards wake up everyone in the queue.
Consider setting up an alarm at 5am to beat the rush to use toilets, washrooms and left luggage.
You have until 7:30am to refresh yourself, pack up and put your camping equipment and baggage into the left luggage store.
From around 7:30am stewards issue coloured wristbands to those at the front of the queue who are queuing for tickets for the show courts (colours denote Centre Court, Court 1 and Court 2). Be sure to be in the queue at this time, otherwise you’ll miss out on your choice of court! The number of wristbands issued exactly matches the quantity of tickets available for each court on that day. Choice is obviously dependent on your position in the line.
The grounds open at 9:30am. People in the queue are ushered towards gate 3, before being split into the relevant turnstiles for the different show courts.

Can I leave the queue?

Officially, you are not supposed to leave the queue, except for toilet breaks and getting refreshments.
In practice, however, you can leave your tent for a little while without any problem.
It’s worth making friends with your neighbours in the queue. They can vouch for you in your absence, should a steward enquire where you’ve gone.
The camping grounds are renowned for having a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
Some people say they leave Wimbledon Park (and therefore their position in the queue) to go into town. It’s likely that a few people do this having agreed with the people next to them. If you do leave though, you are risking having your queue card confiscated – which means you lose your position in the queue.

What should I bring?

Cash. Ticket sales are CASH ONLY. Prices for tickets range between £37-£101.
Remember to bring enough money to cover left luggage charges (see below)
A small tent. Wimbledon request tents that accommodate a maximum of two people, but we’re certain they’ll be no problem with four-person tents.
Warm clothing – it’s cold overnight and early in the morning when stewards wake you up.
Picnic foods and drinks.
Books, iPads, iPods, radio, games, tennis racquets, badminton racquets, footballs – basically anything that will help you pass the time.
A torch/headlamp (headlamps are best).
Earplugs.

What should I not bring?

BBQs are not allowed in the park.
Gazebos are now banned.
Speakers for your music – loud music is forbidden.

Is food and drink available?

There are food vans in the park selling the usual fast food fare (think burgers, pizzas, ice-cream).
Local takeaways hand out their menus. Many campers choose to have food delivered to the park – delivery must be arranged for the Wimbledon Park Road gate.
Wimbledon Park has a café, which is located beside the public tennis courts.
There are shops, restaurants, metro supermarkets and takeaways in Southfields.

Are there toilets and washroom facilities?

Campers have access to two temporary toilet/washroom portacabins.
The toilet facilities are excellent and kept very clean.

What do I do with my camping equipment in the morning?

There are heavy restrictions on what you can take into the Wimbledon grounds (see the conditions of entry page on the official website for further details).
There is a left-luggage facility in the north side of Wimbledon Park. It opens at 5:30am and closes around an hour after the end of the day’s play.
You will need to store any camping equipment and large bags in left luggage while you watch the tennis.
It’s £5 to store “overnight equipment”. Other items are £1 to deposit.
You only get to take one bag into the grounds. It can be no larger than 16″ x 12″ x 12″ (40cm x 30cm x 30cm). Picnic hampers, Thermos flasks, coolboxes and other hard-sided aren’t allowed (be sure to store them in left luggage).

What tickets are available?

500 tickets are available each day for Centre Court, Court 1 and Court 2.
Centre Court tickets are not sold at the turnstiles on the last four days of the Championship (Thursday, 4 July to Sunday, 7 July).
See the ticket page on the official website for more details.
Sales are strictly one ticket per person and, as we said before, cash only.

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.

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