WTA and Saudi Tennis Federation End Riyadh Hosting Deal Early; 2026 Finals Move to Indian Wells

The WTA announced July 1 that the 2026 WTA Finals will be held at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California rather than Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event is scheduled for November 8-15 and will feature the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams. The WTA requested the move before the end of its three-year hosting agreement signed with the Saudi Tennis Federation in April 2024.

The Saudi federation accepted the request, and the two sides mutually agreed to end the arrangement one year early. The WTA Finals had been held in Riyadh for the two prior years. Indian Wells Tennis Garden's Stadium 1 has a capacity of more than 16,000 spectators and is the second-largest outdoor tennis stadium in the world.

The BNP Paribas Open at the same venue reported record attendance of over 500,000 fans in 2026. "The Indian Wells Tennis Garden provides an exceptional stage for the WTA Finals," Valerie Camillo, chair of the WTA, said. " The WTA did not indicate future plans for the event beyond 2026.

Jessica Pegula, ranked No. 4, said after her second-round Wimbledon win on July 1 that the move came amid ongoing world conflicts. "I think [Indian Wells] had the courts, they had the space, they know what they're doing there, and I think hopefully it will be a great replacement for the Finals," she said.

The WTA Finals was held in Singapore from 2014 through 2018 and in Shenzhen, China, in 2019 under a 10-year deal. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic, the 2021 event moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, the 2022 event to Fort Worth, Texas, and the 2023 event to Cancun, Mexico.