WTA announces huge news about WTA Finals with new host venue from 2027 on the cards

The WTA Finals will embark on a new era in the United States. From 2027 to 2029, the concluding event of the WTA Tour will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, spanning three editions.

Previously in Saudi Arabia, the two prior events there were won by Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina. It was due to host this year's WTA Finals, but the WTA pulled the plug on that, leaving it scrambling for a new permanent home.

Indian Wells will fill the whole of this year, and the WTA have opted to stay in the USA for the foreseeable future. It will be staged at Spectrum Center, home of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, and will host the eight best women's singles and doubles players as they fight for one of the biggest prizes in the sport.

Valerie Camillo, Chair of the WTA, spoke on this decision. “The WTA Finals represents everything that makes women’s tennis extraordinary: the world’s best athletes, competing at the highest level, on a stage worthy of what they have accomplished.

"Women’s tennis has spent generations helping push women’s sports forward, and we have an opportunity now to lead again by building a championship experience that reflects just how far women’s sport has come and where it is going next. In Charlotte, we found more than a host city. We found partners who share that ambition and a place where we can build a true home for the Finals and for the WTA.”

The first edition of the WTA Finals back in 1972 was hosted in Boca Raton, Florida. From that point until 2005, all but one event was held in the USA, the one in question being in Munich in 2001. Since then, the tournament has been played out in Spain, Qatar, Turkey, Singapore, China, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. The last time it was on American soil came in 2022 at Forth Worth.

Will Pitts, CEO of the Charlotte Sports Foundation, was delighted to be having one of the pinnacle tournaments in women's tennis hosted in Charlotte. "This is a transformational moment for Charlotte and for our organisation," he said.

"Bringing the WTA Finals to our city is a testament to what Charlotte has become as a world-class sports destination, and we are incredibly grateful to the WTA for their trust and partnership in making this vision a reality. None of this happens without the support of our partners at the state, city, and county levels, and we are deeply thankful for their commitment to growing Charlotte's sports footprint. I also want to recognise our Board of Directors, whose leadership and belief in what this organisation can accomplish made a deal of this magnitude possible."

The players will be excited for this prospect, with a lot of criticism having been hurled towards the decision to play the event in Riyadh.

So far, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka have confirmed their place for the 2026 edition. American duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are looking likely to be joining them with Mirra Andreeva, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova completing the top eight for the time being. There is set to be a lot change in the race to the WTA Finals, which will take place in California from November 9-15.