The Championships, Wimbledon remains one of the hardest tickets in sport — and for most people, the public ballot is the fairest way in. Secret London has rounded up the details for the 2027 edition, which carries extra weight: 2027 marks 150 years since the first Wimbledon championship was played in 1877, making it a genuine anniversary year at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in south-west London.

How the ballot works is simple in theory. Entry is free, done online through the official Wimbledon website, and anyone can apply during the open window — typically a few weeks in the summer or autumn of the year before the tournament. You don't choose a specific day or court when you enter; you apply for a pair or single ticket, and if your name is drawn you're allocated a day and a price category, from cheaper outer-court access to Centre Court and No. 1 Court seats.

Success is a lottery in the truest sense — tens of thousands apply for a limited pool of tickets, so most entrants miss out. But it's the only legitimate route that doesn't require queuing on the day or paying hospitality prices. The key rules: one application per household, a confirmed account on the official site, and your tickets are digital, tied to your name and non-transferable, so resale and black-market sales are strictly out.

If the ballot doesn't come through, there are fallbacks. The famous Queue returns each championship — overnight camping (or very early starts) for a limited number of on-the-day tickets for Centre Court, No. 1 Court and grounds passes. There's also resale within the grounds each afternoon, where returned seats are sold cheaply for charity. And if you simply want the atmosphere, a grounds pass gets you onto the outer courts, Henman Hill and the whole festival side of the event for a fraction of show-court prices.

For travellers, this is worth planning around. A day at Wimbledon is one of London's great summer outings even if you're not a tennis obsessive — strawberry and cream, Pimm's, and the best people-watching in sport. Combine a ballot win (or a Queue gamble) with a few days in the capital: the grounds are a short hop from central London via Wimbledon station or the District line, and the surrounding village makes a pleasant base. Add in the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, open year-round, and behind-the-scenes tours of the courts when the tournament isn't on.

Timing matters: the Championships run over two weeks in late June and early July, with 2027's anniversary edition likely to be in higher demand than ever. Sign up for ballot notifications early, keep an eye on the official site for the exact application window, and have a Queue backup plan ready if luck doesn't fall your way.

Thanks to Secret London for the original rundown.