Tennis fans will be forced to shell out a record-breaking figure to attend next year’s Wimbledon final after the All England Club (AELTC) raised prices to dizzying new heights.
The club is aiming to capitalise on the public’s interest in tennis, which remains sky-high despite Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Serena Williams retiring in recent years. A staggering 2,520 debentures of guaranteed Centre Court tickets for every year between 2026 and 2030 were sold earlier this year at £116,000 each.
That raised an eye-watering £292million, but the AELTC are intent on raking in even more cash by raising the price of the most expensive singles final ticket to £315.
The same ticket would have set fans back £63 at the turn of the millennium, £100 in 2009 and £210 only six years ago. It is also up £40 from last year’s singles final price.
Extortionate financial commitments have not deterred supporters from registering their interest in attending next year’s tournament. The AELTC announced earlier this week that a record number of public ballot applications were received for a third consecutive year.
Standard Centre Court seats on the opening day have been raised from £90 to £105, while grounds passes for the outside courts are still £30 each for the first eight days.
An AELTC spokesperson said: “Very careful consideration is given when setting ticket prices for the Championships, with the greatest price increase applied to premium seats on Centre Court and No 1 Court. Twenty per cent of all tickets have had prices frozen at 2024 levels, including grounds passes.
“The Wimbledon public ballot for the Championships 2025 closed last week, and we were very pleased to receive a record number of applications, including strong interest from fans in the US, Italy, Ireland and Germany.”
The AELTC may need all the funds they can get their hands on if plans for a £200m expansion of the grounds go ahead. The proposal includes 39 new courts and an 8,000-seater stadium built on the site of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club.
Some local residents have hit back, however, after the AELTC’s plans were approved by the Greater London Authority. Thelma Ruby, a 99-year-old former Coronation Street actress who lives nearby, has threatened to chain herself to the grounds before building work, which would take years to complete, commences.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk