Rod Laver won all four Grand Slam titles in a single calendar year, then went away and did it again seven years later. Nobody has managed it since 1969. The tournament that carries his name is barely a decade old, and it has already produced one of the most emotional nights the sport has seen. That night happened in London, at The O2, in September 2022, when Roger Federer played his last professional match alongside Rafael Nadal.
Four years later the event comes back to the same building. The Laver Cup 2026 runs from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 September at The O2 on the Greenwich Peninsula, and London becomes the first city to host it twice. Team Europe, captained by Yannick Noah, take on the defending champions Team World under Andre Agassi.
If you have never watched it, think of it as tennis borrowing the format of golf’s Ryder Cup. Rivals share a bench. Carlos Alcaraz spends half of Saturday night coaching a doubles pair. Nobody is protecting ranking points, because there are none on offer. This guide to Laver Cup London 2026 covers who is playing, what each session actually costs, how the scoring works, and how to reach North Greenwich without spending your evening in a queue.
| At A Glance | Details |
|---|---|
| What | Three-day men’s team tennis competition. |
| Who For | Tennis and casual sports fans. |
| Dates | 25–27 Sep 2026; practice day 24 Sep. |
| Venue | The O2, North Greenwich. |
| Tickets From | £33 per session. |
| Travel Tip | Pre-book a transfer for late-night journeys. |
What Is the Laver Cup and Why Does It Feel Different?
Image Source: lavercup.com
Almost every other week of the tennis season is one player against one player, with ranking points and prize money on the line. The Laver Cup at The O2 works on completely different rules.
A Team Event Built in Honour of Rod Laver
The idea came from Roger Federer, who wanted a competition that honoured the Australian who dominated the 1960s. The first edition was played in Prague in 2017, and it has moved to a new city almost every year since. Six European players face six players from everywhere else, and they compete as two teams rather than as twelve individuals.
Everything takes place on a black court built on the arena floor, which is the detail most people remember from television. The captains sit courtside in team kit. Players who spent the summer trying to beat each other suddenly share a bench, and that contrast is the whole appeal.
Why the Players Take More Risks Here
The Laver Cup is a sanctioned ATP Tour event, so results go on a player’s career record. It awards no ranking points at all. Each member of the winning team receives $250,000, and appearance fees are set according to ATP ranking, so the higher a player is ranked, the more he earns simply for turning up.
Remove the ranking points and the tennis loosens up. Players attempt shots they would never risk in a Grand Slam quarter-final, and they coach each other between games with a microphone picking up every word.
| Fun Fact |
| Team Europe lead the overall series 5-3, but Team World have won three of the last four editions, including a 15-9 win in San Francisco last September. |
When Is the Laver Cup 2026 and What Happens in Each Session?
The Laver Cup 2026 is compressed into three days and five ticketed sessions, and the order of play is set long before anyone knows who will be fit enough to play it.
The Full Laver Cup Schedule
Five sessions, twelve matches, nine singles and three doubles. The Laver Cup schedule published by the organisers looks like this.
| Session | Day | Start | Matches | Points/Win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friday 25 September (day) | 1:00pm | 2 singles | 1 |
| 2 | Friday 25 September (night) | 7:00pm | 1 singles, 1 doubles | 1 |
| 3 | Saturday 26 September (day) | 1:00pm | 2 singles | 2 |
| 4 | Saturday 26 September (night) | 7:00pm | 1 singles, 1 doubles | 2 |
| 5 | Sunday 27 September | 12:00pm | 1 doubles plus up to 3 singles | 3 |
Every match is played as the best of three sets, with a 10-point match tie-break replacing a deciding third set. That keeps each session to a predictable length and stops Friday night running into Saturday morning.
Doors, Re-entry and the Gap Between Sessions
Doors open 90 minutes before play, so 11:30am for the Friday and Saturday day sessions, 5:30pm for the night sessions, and 10:30am on Sunday. If you hold tickets for both sessions on the same day, you still have to leave the arena in between unless your ticket includes hospitality, and you are readmitted 90 minutes before the evening starts.
Night sessions can be pushed back if the afternoon overruns. Build a little flexibility into whatever you have planned for afterwards.
How Does the Laver Cup Scoring System Work?
This is the part that makes Sunday worth the money, and it takes about thirty seconds to understand.
Points Get Heavier as the Weekend Goes On
A match win on Friday is worth one point. The identical win on Saturday is worth two. On Sunday it is worth three. Nothing else changes, and the matches themselves are no longer or shorter.
Because Sunday is worth triple, a team can trail by four points on Saturday night and still lift the trophy the next afternoon. It also means neither side can afford to relax on the final morning.
First Team to 13 Points Wins
There are 24 points available across the twelve matches, so 13 settles it. Once a team reaches that number the competition stops, which is why the later Sunday singles matches sit on the Laver Cup schedule as “if required”. If only one match is needed to decide the winner, an exhibition match follows the trophy ceremony so nobody in Session 5 goes home short-changed.
What Happens If the Teams Finish Level
A 12-12 tie after all twelve matches triggers one extra doubles match called the Decider, and the entire weekend comes down to it. In eight completed editions it has never been needed. London would be a fitting place for the first one.
| Fun Fact |
| The black court is not only for television. It was designed so the yellow ball stands out, and it has become the visual signature of the event. |
Who Is Playing at the Laver Cup 2026?
Image Source: lavercup.com
Both squads were confirmed by the end of July, and Team World arrive with the strongest line-up by ranking they have ever named. Here are the Laver Cup 2026 players in full.
| Team Europe (Captain Yannick Noah) | Team World (Captain Andre Agassi) |
| Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) | Taylor Fritz (United States) |
| Alexander Zverev (Germany) | Alex de Minaur (Australia) |
| Casper Ruud (Norway) | Ben Shelton (United States) |
| Flavio Cobolli (Italy) | Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) |
| Jakub Mensik (Czechia) | Learner Tien (United States) |
| Rafael Jodar (Spain) | Tommy Paul (United States) |
| Vice Captain: Tim Henman | Vice Captain: Pat Rafter |
Team Europe Under Yannick Noah
Noah has kept the core of the side that lost in San Francisco. Carlos Alcaraz returns for a third year in a row. Alexander Zverev is playing his seventh edition and won the first five he entered before that run ended last season. Casper Ruud was named last, on 28 July, and London will be his sixth consecutive appearance.
Rafael Jodar is the only new face, replacing Holger Rune from last year’s team, and he will make his debut in front of a home-continent crowd. Tim Henman serves as vice captain, which the London crowd will enjoy more than the visitors do.
Team World Under Andre Agassi
Agassi has changed four of his six. Only Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur remain from the group that won in San Francisco, where Fritz clinched the deciding match. Ben Shelton did not drop a set at that edition, and de Minaur has still never lost a Laver Cup singles rubber. Alexander Bublik and Learner Tien are both debutants.
Pat Rafter is vice captain. The champions have three Americans, an Australian and a Kazakh, and they will not be short of belief in an arena that is supposed to favour Europe.
The One Name Everybody Asks About
Jannik Sinner is not in the London line-up. Team Europe closed their six without him at the end of July. The three highest-ranked players from each region receive an automatic invitation and the remaining places are captain’s picks, so squads are usually settled months in advance. Each team also names an alternate closer to the event, which is worth watching if you follow player news in the fortnight after the US Open.
How Much Do Laver Cup Tickets Cost?
Prices depend entirely on how much of the weekend you want, and the cheapest way in is not always the obvious one. These are the published starting prices for Laver Cup 2026 from the LTA.
| Package | What You Get | From | Sold Via |
| Full tournament | The same seat for all five sessions | £186 | AXS |
| Multi-session | Friday, Saturday or weekend bundles | £71 | AXS |
| Single session | One of the five sessions | £33 | AXS |
| Hospitality | Premium seat, lounge, food and drink | On request | Laver Cup |
| Open practice day | Thursday 24 September, 12pm to 2pm | On request | AXS |
1. The Full Tournament Package
This is the best value on paper. At £186 for five sessions you are paying around £37 a session for the same seat throughout, and the best seats in the building are allocated to this package first. It also removes any decision-making about which day matters most, because you are there for all of it.
2. Multi-Session Packages
Bundles start at £71 and cover Friday, Saturday or the weekend. The Saturday bundle is the sensible pick if you can only give up one day, because Saturday matches are worth double and the arena is usually at its loudest. Weekend bundles include Sunday, which is where the trophy is decided.
3. Single-Session Tickets
From £33, and every session includes at least two matches. Friday afternoon is the cheapest way to see top-10 players in person anywhere in London this year. Sunday holds the most drama and tends to be the first to sell.
4. Hospitality and Private Suites
There are six hospitality tiers. Rocket Club Unrivaled, the courtside package, has sold out, and Captains Club is no longer available. Vantage Club and Legends Club cover front-row and lower-tier seating with a lounge attached, and private suites hold 18 people but must be bought for all five sessions. Keith Prowse and THE TEAM are the official hospitality sales partners. If you are hosting clients, an executive car to the door fits the occasion better than a Jubilee line platform at 10pm.
5. Buying Without Getting Caught Out
AXS is the official ticketing partner of The O2, and official resale on Laver Cup tickets opened on 1 September. The organisers have been blunt about third-party sellers: tickets bought outside the official channels may not scan at the door. Everything is mobile only, held in The O2 or AXS app, so charge your phone before you leave.
| Fun Fact |
| Ten per cent of proceeds from the LTA member pre-sale went to the LTA Tennis Foundation, and all Open Practice Day ticket money goes to the same charity. |
What Can You Do Around The O2 Without a Match Ticket?
Image Source: lavercup.com
A large part of Laver Cup 2026 happens outside the arena, and most of it is free.
1. The Fan Zone at Greenwich Peninsula
The Fan Zone sits on Greenwich Peninsula right outside North Greenwich station, and it is open to everyone at no cost. There are full-size and mini tennis courts with LTA coaches on hand, a giant outdoor screen showing every match live, a Stella Artois beer garden and a run of food trucks. It opens 10am to 4pm on Thursday, 10am to 10pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10am to 6pm on Sunday.
2. Open Practice Day on Thursday
Both teams practise inside the arena on Thursday 24 September from 12pm to 2pm, with lighting, music and on-court interviews. Team World go first, Team Europe follow at 1pm, and doors open at 11am. It is the cheapest way to see all twelve players hit a ball, and every pound goes to the LTA Foundation.
3. Served with Andy Roddick, Live
Andy Roddick records his podcast live from the Fan Zone between 10:30am and 12pm each day from Thursday to Sunday. Guests across the weekend include Andy Murray, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Yannick Noah, Pat Rafter and Tim Henman. Turn up early and you can watch it happen for nothing.
4. Serve Challenge, Merchandise and Bench Cam
The Serve Challenge measures your speed and accuracy on a full-size court, with a grand prize of two full-tournament packages for Los Angeles in 2027. Merchandise stands run inside and outside the arena all four days. Inside the arena, Fan Radio streams commentary and audio from both team benches to your phone, so bring headphones, and the Bench Cam is free to watch online.
How Do You Get to The O2 for the Laver Cup?
The arena holds around 20,000 people and they all leave within about fifteen minutes of the final point. Getting there is simple. Getting away is the part first-timers underestimate.
| Option | Route | Journey Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tube | Jubilee line to North Greenwich, direct from Waterloo, Westminster, London Bridge and Canary Wharf | 15–25 min |
| Bus | Routes 108, 129, 132, 161, 188, 422 and 486. The 188 runs 24 hours via Waterloo | 40–60 min |
| River bus | Uber Boat by Thames Clippers to North Greenwich Pier | 25–40 min |
| Driving | On-site car parks, pre-booking strongly advised | 30–50 min |
| Private Transfer | Door to door, drop-off in Car Park 1 or East Parkside | Direct |
1. The Jubilee Line Does the Heavy Lifting
North Greenwich is a two-minute walk from the entrance, and the tube runs directly from Waterloo, Westminster, London Bridge and Canary Wharf. It is quick, cheap and completely reliable until 20,000 people try to use it at once. If you are arriving by train first, our London Bridge station taxi service and Waterloo pickups join the two halves of the trip.
2. Buses and the River Boat
Seven bus routes terminate at North Greenwich, and the 188 runs around the clock into central London via Waterloo, which is useful after a Saturday night session. The Uber Boat by Thames Clippers service to North Greenwich Pier is slower than the tube and far more pleasant, especially on a clear September evening.
3. Driving and Parking
On-site parking is available on event days for a fee and should be pre-booked, because Laver Cup 2026 weekend will fill it. There is a free drop-off and pick-up point in Car Park 1. Allow extra time in both directions, since the Blackwall Tunnel approach backs up quickly when the arena empties.
4. Private Transfers and Group Travel
For a group, a private ride usually works out cheaper per head than five separate fares plus the walk. Our Greenwich taxi service covers the Peninsula and the surrounding streets, and a 9 to 16 seater minibus handles a full group in one vehicle. Booking the return leg at the same time as the outbound is the single best decision you can make on Sunday afternoon, and our event transfer team does this for concerts and matches at the same venue every week, including the Ariana Grande residency at The O2 earlier this year.
What Should You Know Before You Walk Into The O2?
Image Source: radiotimes.com
The O2 runs a tighter door policy than most people expect, and security for the Laver Cup at The O2 is stricter again. Five things are worth knowing before you set off.
1. The Bag Rule Is Genuinely Strict
One bag per person, no bigger than A4 size or a standard handbag. Backpacks, tote bags, laptop bags and camera bags are all refused at the door. There is a bag storage facility outside the main entrance at £10 per bag, and it closes an hour after play ends. If you are heading straight to the arena from a flight, our luggage guide explains what fits where, and leaving cases in the car is far easier than paying to store them.
2. Food, Drink and Water Bottles
No outside food or drink is allowed in, including sealed water bottles. You can bring an empty crushable bottle through security and refill it free at the bars or the water stations on Levels 1 and 4. Baby food is permitted, and there is an email route for medical or religious exemptions.
3. Phones Are Fine, Cameras Are Not
Professional camera equipment, GoPros, tablets and laptops are all prohibited. Phones are welcome as long as they are on silent during play with the flash off. Photos and video for your own social media are fine, but live streaming is not.
4. Arrive Earlier Than You Planned
Every guest goes through metal-detector screening, and the queue on a Friday afternoon with 20,000 people arriving at once is not quick. Doors open a full 90 minutes before play for exactly this reason, and the Fan Zone gives you somewhere to spend the wait.
5. Sort the Journey Home Before the First Serve
Sessions can overrun, Sunday has no fixed finish time, and the tube platform after a night session is the part nobody enjoys. Booking your return ride in advance costs nothing extra and removes the only genuinely stressful part of the day. Families can request a child seat when booking, and corporate groups can arrange pickups for the whole party in one go.
Flying In for the Weekend? How Do You Get From the Airport?
The O2 sits in southeast London, which means every major airport involves crossing the city. A pre-booked transfer with a fixed price and a driver tracking your flight removes the two things that ruin arrival day: queues and surge pricing.
Arrivals at Heathrow face the longest run at roughly an hour, and our cheapest routes from Heathrow guide compares every option if you would rather do it on public transport. Gatwick takes a similar amount of time from the south, while Luton and Stansted sit north of the city. If you are coming through the Channel Tunnel, our St Pancras transfers run straight from the Eurostar arrivals hall to Greenwich.
Hotels fill quickly for Laver Cup London 2026, and the InterContinental at The O2 is attached to the venue itself. If you are staying centrally instead, allow 30 minutes each way and remember that a private London tour of Greenwich on Thursday pairs neatly with practice day.
Where Can You Watch the Laver Cup 2026 on TV?
If you missed out on Laver Cup tickets, the whole weekend is on television, and UK viewers now have two ways to watch it.
UK and Ireland Coverage
Sky Sports agreed a deal in August to broadcast all twelve matches across the five sessions, presented by Gigi Salmon, with clips and highlights on Sky’s digital platforms. TNT Sports also holds rights under an existing agreement that runs to 2030, so the event is available on both.
Watching Elsewhere
Warner Bros. Discovery holds the pan-European rights, so coverage runs on Eurosport and Discovery+ across the continent, and the Tennis Channel carries it in the United States. The official broadcaster list is kept up to date for everywhere else.
Is the Laver Cup 2026 Worth Going To?
Three days, twelve matches, and a format designed so the last afternoon carries the most weight. Laver Cup 2026 gives you a better return than most single-day sporting tickets in London, and a full tournament seat costs less than one day on a Wimbledon show court.
The 2022 edition at this venue is remembered for one match. Nobody knew at the time that it would be. That is the argument for going: you cannot plan which session turns into the one people talk about for a decade, but you can be in the building when it does. Laver Cup London 2026 is the last chance to see it here before the event heads to Los Angeles, so it is worth taking seriously.
Heading to The O2 for Tennis and Want the Travel Handled?
My London Transfer runs private, door-to-door rides to Greenwich for every session, with fixed prices and drivers who already know how the Peninsula empties after an event.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When Is the Laver Cup 2026?
It runs from Friday 25 September to Sunday 27 September 2026, across five sessions. Day sessions on Friday and Saturday start at 1pm, night sessions at 7pm, and Sunday begins at midday. There is also an open practice day on Thursday 24 September from 12pm to 2pm.
2. Where Is the Laver Cup 2026 Being Held?
At The O2 in London, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX. The court is built on the arena floor for the week. This is the second time London has hosted the event after 2022, making it the first city to stage it twice.
3. How Much Are Tickets?
Laver Cup tickets start at £33 for a single session, £71 for a multi-session package and £186 for the full tournament. Hospitality is sold separately through the Laver Cup and its official partners. All general tickets are sold through AXS, the official ticketing partner of The O2.
4. Who Is Playing?
Team Europe is Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, Flavio Cobolli, Jakub Mensik and Rafael Jodar, captained by Yannick Noah with Tim Henman as vice captain. Team World is Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Alexander Bublik, Learner Tien and Tommy Paul, captained by Andre Agassi with Pat Rafter as vice captain.
5. How Does the Scoring Work?
Each match win is worth one point on Friday, two on Saturday and three on Sunday. The first team to 13 points out of a possible 24 wins. If the score reaches 12-12 after all twelve matches, a single doubles match called the Decider settles it.
6. Is It an Official ATP Tour Event?
Yes. It has been sanctioned by the ATP since 2019 and results count towards a player’s career record. It awards no ranking points. Each member of the winning team earns $250,000, on top of appearance fees based on ATP ranking.
7. How Long Does Each Session Last?
Expect roughly three to four hours for a session with two matches. Sunday has no fixed finish, because play stops as soon as one team reaches 13 points.
8. Can You Take a Bag Into The O2?
One bag per person, no larger than A4 size or a standard handbag. Backpacks, travel cases, laptop bags and camera bags are refused. Bag storage outside the main entrance costs £10 per bag and closes an hour after the tennis finishes.
9. Is the Fan Zone Free?
Yes. The Fan Zone on Greenwich Peninsula is open to everyone at no cost from Thursday to Sunday, with a public viewing screen, tennis courts run with the LTA, food trucks and a beer garden. You do not need a match ticket to use it.
10. How Do You Get to The O2 From Central London?
The Jubilee line to North Greenwich takes 15 to 25 minutes and is the fastest option. Seven bus routes serve the station, including the 24-hour 188 via Waterloo, and Uber Boat by Thames Clippers stops at North Greenwich Pier. Private transfers drop off in Car Park 1 or on East Parkside.
11. Can Children Attend?
General arena seating is open to all ages and every attendee needs their own ticket. The Rocket Club hospitality area has a minimum age of 16. The Fan Zone is the most family-friendly part of the site, with mini courts and coaching for younger visitors.
12. Where Will the Laver Cup Be Held in 2027?
Los Angeles. The tenth edition moves to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, from 24 to 26 September 2027. The host city alternates between Europe and the rest of the world each year.
