Wimbledon Video Review to Launch June 29 on Six Show Courts

The All England Club will implement Wimbledon video review for the first time starting June 29 on Centre Court and five additional stadiums.

Wimbledon officials confirmed Saturday that video review technology will officially debut on June 29, 2026. This officiating system is scheduled for deployment across six specific locations: Centre Court, No. 1 Court, No. 2 Court, No. 3 Court, Court 12, and Court 18. While the two primary show courts will utilize the technology for all scheduled matches, the remaining four venues are designated to use the system exclusively during singles competition. This rollout marks the first instance of the grass-court major providing a mechanism for chair umpires to consult recorded footage during live play.

Participants at the London-based tournament will gain the ability to challenge subjective rulings, including double bounces, balls touching a player’s body, or shots hitting the net before landing. Unlike the existing electronic line-calling protocols that determine if a ball is in or out, this new layer of scrutiny focuses on physical infractions and technical violations. Tournament organizers have established a policy where players face no restrictions on the total number of review requests they can make, ensuring every contested moment can be verified.

This technological expansion follows the 2023 precedent set by the U.S. Open, which became the inaugural Grand Slam to adopt such a system. The Australian Open has also integrated similar tools, leaving the French Open as the only major yet to implement video assistance. The decision to modernize officiating comes exactly one year after the All England Club transitioned away from human line judges in favor of an automated electronic line-calling system. The 2026 update aims to resolve disputes that previously relied solely on the naked eye of the chair umpire.

The infrastructure required for these reviews involves high-definition cameras positioned to capture multiple angles of the net and court surface. When a challenge is initiated, the official will examine the footage on a dedicated screen at their station to confirm or overturn the original decision. By including Court 12 and Court 18 in the initial launch, the event ensures that high-ranking players competing outside the main stadiums still benefit from the same level of accuracy. The June 29 start date aligns with the opening round of the championships, providing consistent coverage from the first serve of the fortnight.

Officiating accuracy has become a central focus for the organization as it seeks to minimize human error in high-stakes matches. The introduction of video review addresses specific grievances regarding "not up" calls, where a ball bounces twice before being struck. By providing a definitive visual record, the tournament hopes to eliminate the friction often caused by these split-second judgments. This shift represents a significant departure from traditional grass-court officiating, prioritizing technical precision over historical reliance on manual observation. The system will be fully operational for the duration of the 2026 event, covering both the gentlemen’s and ladies’ draws on the designated show courts.