The WTA Finals will be hosted in Charlotte, North Carolina, for at least the next three years, as organizers set their sights on transforming the season-ending championship into “the Super Bowl for women’s sports.”
The event, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams each November, will take place at the Spectrum Center, home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, following an agreement between the WTA and the Charlotte Sports Foundation.
“Our ambition is for the WTA Finals to be not only the premier championship in women’s tennis, but one of the defining global events in women sports,” WTA chair Valerie Camillo said. “We want to create the Super Bowl for women’s sports. And not just the competition, but an event that is the annual gathering for women’s tennis, women’s sports, and women’s sport business.”
“Audiences are growing, investment is growing, female athletes are increasingly at the center of sports and culture around the world. And women’s tennis has helped lead and define that progress for more than 50 years. And we believe our biggest championship should reflect the scale of this moment,” Camillo added.
Camillo confirmed that the agreement is a “minimum three-year deal” with potential to extend beyond that period.
The relocation marks a shift following financial and logistical adjustments for the tour. The WTA exited the final year of its three-year contract with Saudi Arabia due to concerns over regional military conflicts, moving this year’s championship to Indian Wells, California.
Charlotte will serve as the eighth distinct host city for the event since 2018.
“2026 is a year of transition for the WTA,” Camillo noted, explaining that the organization is “doing the normal belt tightening you would expect in any business while also absorbing the unexpected cost of relocating the WTA finals to Indian Wells.”
“What’s most important to know is that we have a clear path to deliver consistent, sustainable financial performance in 2027 and beyond,” she said.
The WTA did not disclose prize money details for the upcoming Charlotte editions.
The previous Riyadh tournament set financial milestones, where 2025 champion Elena Rybakina earned a record $5.23 million for an undefeated run, while runner-up Aryna Sabalenka took home $2.7 million.
Coco Gauff claimed the title during the 2024 staging in Saudi Arabia.