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The WTA’s three-year deal with Saudi Arabia to hold the WTA Finals in Riyadh has ended early.
The WTA and Saudi Tennis Federation released a joint statement Wednesday saying they had “mutually agreed” to end their hosting agreement. The two sides had a three-year deal that would have ended this year with one final tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Moments after the statement was released, the WTA announced the host site for the 2026 WTA Finals: Indian Wells, the site of the BNP Paribas Open, the WTA 1000 event in early March.
“From its world-class facilities and passionate fan base to its proven ability to deliver premier tennis events, the venue offers everything needed to showcase the very best of women’s tennis,” WTA chair Valerie Camillo said in a statement. “We are excited to bring the WTA Finals to Southern California and continue building one of the premier championships in global sport.”
The deal between the WTA and Indian Wells is only for one year, a source confirmed to Front Office Sports. Despite the premature exit, the WTA was not expected to continue in Saudi Arabia next year. Charlotte, N.C., is reportedly the frontrunner to host the event starting next year, but no deal has been reached.
The WTA pulled out of the agreement with the STF “due to turmoil and uncertainty around war and geopolitical tension in the Middle East,” according to Bounces writer Ben Rothenberg.
In early March, several tennis players and tournament staffers, including 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, were left stranded in the Middle East following the Dubai Tennis Championships due to the war between the U.S. and Iran.
Formula One also cancelled a pair of races in the region due to the war.
The WTA Finals is the finale of the women’s tennis calendar, with this year’s event running from Nov. 8–15. It involves the eight top-ranked singles and doubles pairs.
The tournament typically has the biggest payday on the calendar, with last year’s singles winner Elena Rybakina taking home a record $5.2 million.
The last two years of the event in Saudi Arabia have received significant criticism because of poor attendance and crowd participation.
