WTA Announces Relocation for WTA Finals and Headquarters

The WTA and the Charlotte Sports Foundation announced on Wednesday that Charlotte, North Carolina, will be the new host of the WTA Finals for three years. Starting in 2027, the WTA Finals will be held at the Spectrum Center (home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets) in Charlotte through 2029. The WTA is also relocating its global headquarters to Charlotte from St. Petersburg, Florida, as part of the same deal.

Relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina

The decision to relocate to Charlotte stems from the WTA’s desire to find a stable home where it can continue to lay the foundation for one of the fastest-growing events in women’s sports. WTA Chair Valerie Camillo said, “Women’s tennis has spent generations helping push women’s sports forward, and we have an opportunity now to lead again by building a championship experience that reflects just how far women’s sport has come and where it is going next.”

Camillo also emphasized a shift in how the event will be run going forward, saying, “We're taking control of the creation of the revenues and the controlling of the expenses and the delivery of the entire thing. And that allows us to control our own destiny.” The move should allow the WTA to curate an experience that not only highlights the athletes on-court but also draws in new fans.

The Nomadic History of the WTA Finals

The move to Charlotte follows an unstable stretch for the WTA Finals over the last few years. The WTA Finals were held in Singapore for five straight years from 2014 to 2018, but have bounced between six different venues since. This includes a controversial stint in Saudi Arabia that ended a year early. The WTA opted out of the final year of its three-year contract in Saudi Arabia back in July, shifting this year’s Finals to Indian Wells, California.

That instability has also come with financial costs for the WTA. Reports indicate that the organization was on pace for roughly $23 million in operational losses in 2026, with only about $15 million on hand by year’s end. This can partly be attributed to the unplanned costs of relocating this year’s Finals to Indian Wells on short notice.

However, the agreement in Charlotte came together in just under six months and was structured differently than any previous hosting deals for the event. The WTA now directly operates the tournament rather than relying on outside promoters. With Charlotte set to take over hosting in 2027, it will become the eighth different host city for the event since 2018.

Why Choose Charlotte?

The WTA chose Charlotte because it offers the best opportunity to grow the event into the spectacle they envision. “In Charlotte, we found more than a host city. We found partners who share that ambition and a place where we can build a true home for the Finals and for the WTA,” said Camillo.

The deal also comes alongside a wave of investments in Charlotte’s sports infrastructure. Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is separately putting an additional $500 million into ongoing stadium renovations, part of an effort that could position the city to bid for future events like the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft, or matches from the 2031 Women’s World Cup. Charlotte Sports Foundation CEO Will Pitts called it “a transformational moment for Charlotte and for our organization.”

Another major kicker: North Carolina contributed $14.4 million toward securing the event, funded through the state’s Major Events, Games, and Attractions Fund. The city has tried to land a marquee tennis presence before, with a Charlotte City Council member having reportedly been pushing to revive the city’s stalled plans for a dedicated tennis stadium as recently as last year.

The Future of Women’s Tennis in Charlotte

The WTA’s deal to move to Charlotte aims to build a long-lasting presence for women’s tennis in the city. The agreement also includes a path for Charlotte to host an annual WTA 500 event after 2029, the tour’s second-highest tier. However, that’s contingent on the construction of a dedicated tennis-specific facility in the city.

For now, the WTA Finals will make its Charlotte debut in 2027, following this year’s edition in Indian Wells.

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