The WTA Finals will move to Charlotte in the United States from 2027 under a three-year deal

The Women’s Tennis Association will host its season-ending WTA Finals in Charlotte, North Carolina, for at least three years starting in 2027, chairwoman Valerie Camillo said, as the tour seeks to gain more control over its flagship event amid concerns about its finances.

The finals, featuring the top eight singles and doubles teams of the season, will be played at Charlotte’s Spectrum Centre, with a fan festival planned for the nearby convention center.

Camillo said the WTA will run the event itself rather than relying on the type of outside organizer arrangement used in the past, describing the new structure as a public-private partnership involving the city, county, state and local business community.

“The WTA will take more ownership and control of the event and invest together with our partners,” Camillo told reporters this week, adding that the tour wants to build the final into the “Super Bowl of women’s sports.”

Financial details of Charlotte’s package were not released ahead of the planned announcement of local partners. Camillo said it represented a “meaningful investment” that gave the WTA the confidence to commit to the city.

The move follows the WTA’s decision to move the November 2026 final to Indian Wells, California, following the termination of a deal that saw Riyadh host the event with the backing of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

The Telegraph reported last week that internal WTA projections showed the tour could run out of money next year and be in debt by autumn 2027 if its spending spree continued. The report said the WTA expected operating losses of $23 million in 2026 and cited the loss of revenue related to the Saudi Arabia finals deal as the main contributor.

A TRANSITION YEAR FOR THE WTA

Camillo said 2026 was a transition year and that the tour was tightening spending while absorbing the unexpected cost of moving the final to Indian Wells.

She said the WTA had a “clear path” to consistent and sustainable financial performance from 2027, supported by revenue and audience growth.

Asked if it would be easier financially to stay in Riyadh for a third year, Camillo said moving the event to Indian Wells was a strategic decision that would help lay the foundations for Charlotte’s plan.

The WTA has not yet set prize money for the 2027 final. Camillo said equal pay remained an important goal, but added that the tour was considering alternatives including a profit-sharing model with the players.

“We want this event to be built together with the players,” she said. “Why stop at the same monetary rewards?”

Charlotte Sports Foundation CEO Will Pitts said the city hopes the final could eventually help create a longer-term WTA 500 tournament, though he said that would require the construction of a suitable world-class tennis facility.

The WTA also plans to establish a larger operational presence in Charlotte in the build-up to the event, Camillo said.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

16 Sep 2026 22:43 IST