Wimbledon 2026: Why do we see empty seats on tournament show courts?

It is not unusual to see empty seats on Wimbledon’s show courts throughout the tournament.

The view can be surprising given the event’s huge queue and sold-out conditions each year, but there are a few reasons why you should expect empty seats on Center Court and Court One.

A major reason is that spectators are only allowed to either leave or return to their seats when every two games are over.

It may be held for some time to be allowed to re-enter the court.

For example, if a spectator wants to buy food or drink or go to the toilet, a significant part of the game money can be lost by spending time exiting the arena, queuing, returning and waiting for the last change.

Because Center Court and Court One tickets also grant entry to watch the game on any of the outside courts, fans can take some action outside of the zone their ticket is originally for. Again, that could leave empty seats.

High temperatures have also been a problem during the tournament this year – which also happened in 2025.

Some spectators therefore take spells away from their seats to seek shelter from the heat in shaded areas.

Another factor is the length of the day, with play starting at 11:00 BST and sometimes lasting up to 12 hours. Some fans can’t spend a full day at SW19 – travel plans can mean some arrive hours after the game kicks off, or leave before the end, again leaving seats empty.

Officials try to mitigate this by starting at 13:00 BST on Court One and playing on Center Court at 13:30 BST, to give the courts enough time to fill up with spectators as much as possible before the opening match.

Action continues until 21:00 BST on the outer court and 23:00 BST on the show court. So while play starts later on the show court to allow people to arrive, it also ends later, which can lead to early exits.

Court visitors need to show that they will be leaving Wimbledon early, they can sell their tickets to the All England Lawn Tennis Club. This allows them to resell ground passes to visitors at a cheaper rate.

They are resold at £15 for center court space and £10 for court one and court two.

This article is the latest from BBC Sports Ask me anything team