The Women’s Tennis Association Finals will no longer be held in Saudi Arabia this year after the WTA and the Saudi Tennis Federation agreed to end Riyadh’s hosting deal early.
The prestigious season-ending championship, which features the top eight women’s singles players and doubles teams, has been moved to Indian Wells, California. The tournament will take place from November 8 to 15 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, one of the most established tennis venues in the United States.
Riyadh had signed a three-year agreement to host the WTA Finals from 2024 to 2026, replacing Cancun as the tournament’s host city. But the deal has now ended after only two editions, following a request from the WTA to relocate the event before the agreement expired.
The Saudi deal had been controversial from the start. Human rights groups criticised the decision to take one of women’s tennis’ biggest events to Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of using sport to improve its global image and distract from concerns over its human rights record. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in international sport in recent years, including football, golf and Formula One, as part of a wider push to expand its influence and attract global attention.
Critics described the strategy as “sportswashing,” a charge Saudi Arabia denies.
The WTA’s decision also faced strong pushback from within tennis. Former champions Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova publicly opposed holding the Finals in Saudi Arabia, arguing that the country’s record and social policies were not aligned with the values of women’s tennis.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo said Indian Wells offered the right stage for the tournament, citing its world-class facilities, strong tennis audience and experience in hosting major events. Indian Wells already hosts a major combined ATP and WTA tournament every March.
The WTA is now looking for a longer-term host from 2027 onward. Indian Wells will serve as this year’s replacement venue while the tour continues talks with potential partners around the world.
