WES2006AG said:
Going to be in London next summer during the first and second day Wimbledon is going on and this is one of those bucket list experiences for me.
Anybody have any experience with this? I am just looking to get a grounds pass to walk around and see tennis but it looks like Public Ballot has already closed for this year. I am thinking that joining the Queue very early in the morning will be my best bet to get in but wanted to see if anybody else had any suggestions.
I've checked the secondary market but everything there is thousands of dollars.
Thanks in advance.
May I recommend a different path to getting tickets? My husband and I (we're both in our 60s) got tickets this non-traditional, but once-in-a-lifetime way last summer. We camped out for Opening Day tickets, and I wouldn't trade the experience -- which was more like a right of passage -- for anything. Join "the Queue." [Feel free to contact me via WhatsApp with ANY questions about Wimbledon. MWS '81 - +34 663 464 661 (Feel free to text. I live in Spain)].
https://www.stokedtotravel.com/guide-the-queue-wimbledon/Here are some more specific details about camping overnight for tickets:
The
Wimbledon 2026 queue officially opens at 2 pm on Sunday, June 28, 2026 [Actually, we got into the line at 10:00 a.m., and there about 830 people in front of us. I recommend spending the night in Wimbledon the night before.] for the tournament running from June 29 to July 12, 2026.
Located in Wimbledon Park, it offers daily tickets (Show Court or Grounds passes) on a first-come, first-served basis, often requiring overnight camping, especially in week one.
Key Details for the 2026 Queue:- Location & Start: Wimbledon Park, opening at 2:00 PM on June 28, 2026.
- Tickets: Limited Show Court (Centre, No.1, No.2) and thousands of Grounds tickets are available daily, priced at best-available rates, with one ticket per person. [The first 500 people in the queue have the option of purchasing all-day Centre Court tickets. The next 500 people in the queue have the option of purchasing all-day Court 1 tickets. The next 500 people in the queue have the option of purchasing all-day Court 2 tickets. Regardless of what group you're in, you can also visit the other courts whenever.
- Camping: Overnight camping is permitted, with a Queue Card issued to secure your position. [When you enter the queue, you will be given a Queue Card, which you should guard with your life. You'll need to have the card available whenever you are asked to show it. Don't worry. The staff are amazingly organized, and there is no line-cutting. Be sure to bring a cheap tent, something to sleep in/on, and plenty of snacks and drinks. There's a famous convenience store just outside Wimbledon Park (before the bridge through which you'll pass) where you can find plenty of everything to eat and drink. You'll meet people from all over the world, and those around us ended up sharing the wealth of food and drink. This was a bonus from camping overnight. Wimbledon Park closes at 10:00 p.m. Restrooms are plentiful and clean. There is also free, unlimited water fountains located along the fence by the start of the queue. Wake up EARLY (about 4:30 a.m.), brush your teeth and wash your face, pack up your belongings, and immediately take them to the bag/property check building located on the grounds. FYI: the earlier, the better. If so inclined, rent a cheap Airbnb NOW just outside the grounds so you can grab refreshments and a shower. But be forewarned -- you're not supposed to be out of your place for more than 30 minutes, although I didn't hear of or see of this rule being enforced.]
- [Queuing Up: Then, get back in line and wait for the staff to come by and give you a colored bracelet that refers to the court for which you can buy tickets. I recommend that you be ready for this process at 5:00 a.m. or so. Once the queue starts moving (at about 7:30 a.m.), you will be led along a seemingly long path that leads you to the ticket office. Don't worry about how you look. We all looked liked dogs, and the excitement and joy of getting tickets on Day 1 overwhelmed the way anyone looked. There are several people selling tickets, so once you get close, things move very quickly. You'll get into the grounds at about 9:00 a.m. Adrenaline rush !!!]
- Timing & Demand: Demand is extremely high. [This cannot be overstated]. In previous years, the Queue has reached capacity before 8:00 AM, with 6+ hour wait times for those arriving as early as 5:00 AM. [Truth: the people who came after us (up to Queue Card 1500) got tickets. But literally hundreds of people came after "person 1500" through the night and deep into the morning as we queued up to get tickets. I am not certain how many of those people got anything more but grounds passes.]
- Afternoon Entry: For a lower price, tickets are often available at the gate after 4:00 PM, subject to capacity.
- Payment: The Queue is primarily a cash-only process for securing tickets, so bring cash. [This was NOT the case for us. You may want to investigate this further. We used a credit card to purchase our tickets.]
- Once inside: If you want to see specific afternoon matches on one of the show courts (Centre Court and Courts 1 and 2) that you did not originally gain access to, go to the Ticket Resale kiosk and get your name on the list for the court you want to get tickets for. This will give you priority (after 3:00 p.m.) to watch matches (for your favorite American players or the star players who are not playing on your originally court) on whatever show courts you did NOT obtain when you originally queued. Right on schedule, we got a notice that tickets were available and purchased them for a very low price (about 10 Euros]. Also, be sure to look at the schedule board just inside the main entrance. It will tell you who's playing who, when, and where.
I hope this helps.
