The 2026 WTA Finals has been relocated from Riyadh to Indian Wells, California upon the request of the WTA.
The prestigious season finale of the women’s tennis tour was meant to be staged in the kingdom for the third consecutive year, as per the three-year deal that has been in place between the WTA and the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF).
But it was revealed on Wednesday that the Saudis have relinquished their right to host the tournament, which will now take place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in the California desert from November 8-15, 2026.
“Following two impactful years of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, the WTA requested to move the 2026 WTA Finals to a new host location,” read a joint statement on behalf of the WTA and the STF.
“The Saudi Tennis Federation accepted WTA’s proposal, and the two organisations mutually agreed on the conclusion of the hosting arrangement and remain proud of the achievements realised through their partnership.”
The first staging of the WTA Finals in Riyadh in 2024 marked a historic moment as the first professional women’s tennis event to take place in Saudi Arabia.
It offered a record $15.25 million and was described as “absolutely huge for the future of tennis in Saudi Arabia and growing sport in general, especially among our young girls” by former STF president Arij Mutabagani.
“This multi-year partnership expands the WTA’s presence in the Middle East and brings us to a country with huge potential for growth, as well as supporting our ambitious plans to accelerate the global development and progress of women’s tennis,” Marina Storti, chief executive of WTA Ventures, the commercial arm of the Tour, told The National at the time.
Coco Gauff clinched the 2024 title at King Saud University’s indoor stadium in Riyadh, pocketing a record $4.8 million in the process, before Elena Rybakina earned $5.235m, the largest single tournament prize in tennis history, for winning the WTA Finals in 2025.
While the tour had previously confirmed the Finals would be leaving Saudi Arabia after 2026, it has now been revealed that the event’s three-year stay in the kingdom will not be completed.
“WTA and the STF are proud of the impact their partnership has had on the growth of women's tennis and the development of the sport across Saudi Arabia,” the statement continued.
“The partnership expanded the reach of women's tennis, bringing the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia for the first time and introducing the sport's highest level of competition to new audiences.
"Through the WTA Finals and related community initiatives, the partnership contributed to increased fan engagement, expanded participation opportunities, and new pathways for girls and young women to engage with the sport.
“Together, the organisations reached more than 30,000 people through community programmes, including workshops for women coaches, training for physical education teachers, and tennis clinics for breast cancer survivors and connected with girls and young women through participation initiatives designed to inspire future generations of players and fans.
“The partnership increased the visibility of women's tennis across the kingdom and globally, with the event delivering 20 per cent year-on-year growth in attendance including sell-out crowds across the final days.”
The news of the Finals departing Riyadh is one of many moving parts within the Saudi tennis landscape.
The National broke the news last November that the Next Gen ATP Finals would not complete its intended five-year stay in Jeddah, with last December’s edition being the third and final one staged in Saudi Arabia.
In May, SURJ Sports Investment – a PIF subsidiary – reiterated its commitment to hosting an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia starting 2028, despite the PIF scaling back its sports investments in recent months.
Last month, Saudi Arabia announced plans for a National Tennis Centre at Qiddiya City which aims to be the kingdom's “future home of international tennis”.
Should construction run smoothly, the centre could be operational as soon as 2027, and although there has been no official confirmation, it is expected to host the new ATP Masters 1000 arriving in 2028.
Saudi sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, said the new centre underlines the country’s long-term commitment to the sport.
Tickets for the 2026 WTA Finals are now available via presale to select groups and will be on sale to the general public on Thursday, July 2 at wtafinals.com.
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden plays host to the combined ATP 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments each March and, for now, will be staging this year’s edition of the WTA Finals. It is unclear where the event will be heading to starting 2027.
“The Indian Wells Tennis Garden provides an exceptional stage for the WTA Finals,” said Valerie Camillo, Chair of the WTA. “From its world-class facilities and passionate fan base to its proven ability to deliver premier tennis events, the venue offers everything needed to showcase the very best of women's tennis. We are excited to bring the WTA Finals to Southern California and continue building one of the premier championships in global sport.”
