Written on 8 July 2019 by Giles Cook in London
The Wimbledon Championships are one of London’s summer highlights and a truly iconic experience – the strawberries and cream, the Pimms, the spotting who’s in the Royal Box – not to mention the epic encounters on court.
Getting in to see the championships live can be a challenge. Official tickets from the All England Club are allocated by ballot, which closed in December last year. But don’t despair, it’s still possible to get hold of tickets, although you will need plenty of patience and a budget to match.
Here are your main options:
1 Through Ticketmaster
The only official source of online tickets is Ticketmaster, which has 300 Centre Court and No 3 Court tickets released to its site each day. Details of when sales open are on the Ticketmaster website. Tickets are limited to two per person. You may also be able to buy debenture seats (owned by investors and season ticket holders), although the cost may run into the thousands.
2 Join the queue
Wimbledon’s famous queue is an experience in itself. The club releases 500 tickets each day for Centre Court, No1 and No2 Courts (apart from the last four days on Centre Court, which are sold in advance). In addition, thousands of grounds passes are available, allowing access to unreserved seating and standing on Courts No3 to 18.
Many people camp overnight for a prime position in the queue – they are woken up by stewards at 6am, to join the line. If camping isn’t for you, arrive as early as possible before 9.30am. Ground admission costs between £8 and £25 depending on the day. Once inside you can buy Centre Court and No1 Court resale tickets for £10. Read more on the official Wimbledon website.
3 Treat yourself to hospitality
This pricey option is often available last minute. All England Club officially licensed hospitality packages can be bought from Keith Prowse and Sportsworld. They start from around £700 per person, and include dining, private bars and butler service.
Read more about getting tickets for Wimbledon on the Time Out website.
