Sports · Tennis · 5 hrs ago
WTA Finals to move to Charlotte in 2027 after Saudi Arabia deal ends
The WTA Finals will move to Charlotte from 2027, becoming the tournament’s permanent home.
The year-end women’s tennis championships will first be held in Indian Wells, California, in 2026, after the event’s deal in Saudi Arabia ends.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo said the organization wants to raise the tournament’s profile and make it a bigger event for players and the tour.
The WTA has traditionally licensed the Finals to outside operators, but now wants to take a larger role in running its championships.
Charlotte’s sports group and local partners helped bring the tournament there, with support from the business community and state and local governments.
Camillo said the move is a step toward the WTA organizing the event itself, rather than relying mainly on third parties.
The next Finals are scheduled for Indian Wells in 2026, before Charlotte takes over the following year.
The WTA Finals are set to move to Charlotte, North Carolina, after the tournament’s deal in Saudi Arabia ends.
The article says the 2026 Finals will be held in Indian Wells, California.
It says Indian Wells will host in 2027 before Charlotte becomes the permanent home the following year, but its host list labels Charlotte as starting in 2027.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo said the WTA wants to raise the championship’s profile and take more responsibility for running it.
She said Charlotte’s business community and local and state governments worked together to attract the tournament.
- Who
- The WTA and Charlotte Sports Foundation are involved in the move.
- What
- The WTA Finals are moving to Charlotte as a permanent home after the Saudi Arabia deal ends.
- When
- The article says Indian Wells will host in 2027 and Charlotte the following year, but its host list says Charlotte starts in 2027.
- Where
- Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Why
- The WTA wants to raise the event’s profile and reach, and said Charlotte’s community rallied to host it.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Riyadh hosted the WTA Finals, according to the article’s host list.
Indian Wells is scheduled to host the WTA Finals.
The article says Indian Wells will host the Finals before Charlotte takes over the following year; its host list instead lists Charlotte from 2027.
- New permanent home
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Saudi Arabia hosting
- Riyadh, 2024–2025
- 2026 host
- Indian Wells, California
- Charlotte’s link
- Charlotte Sports Foundation
- WTA chair
- Valerie Camillo
What people are saying
The first thing to understand with how we came to Charlotte is that we changed the ambition for how we wanted to host the finals.
To raise the profile of it, to make it bigger, to make it matter more, which benefits the entire tour.
It was so nice to be pursued; they really pursued us, and that makes your desire to partner together and the belief of what you can build; it gives you great confidence.