Wimbledon Seating Plan: Centre Court and No.1 Court Guide
Understanding the Wimbledon seating plan before you arrive makes a genuine difference to how you experience the Championships. Centre Court and No.1 Court each have a distinct layout, and where your seat sits within that layout — whether you are at courtside level or up in the higher tiers — significantly changes both your view and your overall day. This guide breaks down both seating plans in detail, explains how to read the seat numbers on your ticket, and covers the best areas to aim for depending on your budget and priorities.
If you are still working out how to get hold of tickets in the first place, our guide to How to Get Wimbledon Tickets: Resale and Returns covers the official routes for last-minute and resale tickets before you start planning your seat.
Centre Court Seating Plan
Centre Court is Wimbledon’s principal show court and the most recognisable arena in tennis, with a capacity of approximately 14,979 since the retractable roof was completed. The seating bowl is arranged in a roughly oval shape around the court, divided into numbered blocks that run consecutively around the perimeter.
| Seating Area | What to Expect | Typical Price Tier |
| Debenture seats (front blocks) | Premium courtside-level seats; best sightlines; long-term seat owners | Highest — debenture holders only, resale possible |
| Lower tier (Blocks 1-13 approx.) | Excellent view, close to the action, moderate elevation | High |
| Upper tier (Blocks 14-26 approx.) | Higher elevation gives a full overview of the court, further from play | Mid to lower |
| Royal Box | Reserved for invited guests, royalty, and dignitaries | Not publicly sold |
Centre Court’s roof, which can close in around 10 minutes when needed, means that even seats high in the upper tier are still under full weather protection during a closed-roof match, which is one advantage of higher seating that lower-tier seat holders do not always appreciate until rain threatens the schedule.
Reading your Centre Court seat number
Tickets show a block number, a row letter, and a seat number, in that order — for example, Block 5, Row K, Seat 12. Blocks are numbered sequentially working around the court, with lower block numbers generally positioned nearer one end of the court and the entrance points closest to the principal concourse areas. Lower row letters (A, B, C) sit closest to the court itself, with rows progressing alphabetically as you move up and back through each block.
No.1 Court Seating Plan
No.1 Court, rebuilt and reopened in 1997 and fitted with its own retractable roof in 2019, has a capacity of around 12,345. It sits just north of Centre Court and has become one of the most popular show courts at the Championships, particularly since the roof was added, as it now guarantees uninterrupted play regardless of weather on scheduled match days.
| Seating Area | What to Expect | Typical Price Tier |
| Lower tier (courtside blocks) | Close to the action; strong sightlines across the full court | High |
| Upper tier | Elevated overview, good for watching ball trajectory and tactics | Mid |
| Corner blocks | Slightly angled view rather than straight down the baseline | Mid to lower, often better value |
No.1 Court’s seating bowl is slightly more compact than Centre Court’s, which many spectators consider an advantage — even upper-tier seats feel reasonably close to the court, and the atmosphere can feel more intimate, particularly for matches that draw a passionate crowd without quite the same global broadcast attention as Centre Court fixtures.
Best Seats for the Best View
If your priority is the clearest possible view of play, baseline seats in the lower tier — directly behind either end of the court rather than along the sides — tend to offer the best perspective for following shot direction and rallies. Side-on seats in the lower tier give an excellent view of the overall court but can make it slightly harder to judge depth on groundstrokes from a distance.
- For the closest atmosphere to the players: lower tier, baseline blocks
- For the best value with a strong view: lower tier, side blocks slightly off-centre
- For a full tactical overview of the match: upper tier, centre blocks
- For guaranteed roof protection on a forecast-rain day: any seat on Centre Court or No.1 Court, since both courts are now fully roofed
Wimbledon Seating Plan FAQs
How many courts does Wimbledon have?
Wimbledon has 18 championship courts in total across the grounds, including Centre Court, No.1 Court, and a number of outside courts used for early-round matches. Wimbledon publishes a full breakdown of court numbers and capacities on its official site.
Can I move seats during a match?
Wimbledon operates a strict seating policy and stewards generally ask spectators to remain in their allocated seats, particularly on the main show courts. Moving between blocks is not typically permitted once play has started, so it is worth checking your seat location carefully before the day.
Are restricted-view seats sold at Wimbledon?
A very small number of seats on both Centre Court and No.1 Court have a partially restricted view due to structural elements such as roof support columns. These are clearly marked on the official seating plan available through the All England Lawn Tennis Club, and are typically priced lower to reflect the reduced sightline.
Planning the Rest of Your Day
Once you know your seat, it is worth planning the practical side of your visit. Our guide to our Wimbledon hospitality guide covers transport options and parking near the grounds, and if you want to make a full day of it beyond your match, our guide to covers the best of the surrounding area.
For dress code guidance specifically for show court visits, where smart-casual is generally expected in hospitality and members’ areas, see our separate guide to what to wear to Wimbledon.
For the official, regularly updated seating plans and capacity figures, see the All England Lawn Tennis Club official site.
For independent seat-by-seat view photos submitted by past attendees, see View From My Seat.
How Wimbledon Seating Compares Between the Two Show Courts
Centre Court and No.1 Court differ in more than just capacity. Centre Court has historically been reserved for the marquee matches — the men’s and women’s finals, and the biggest names in the draw, particularly in the second week. This means Centre Court tickets, especially for the latter stages of the Championships, carry both higher demand and a higher price point across nearly every seating tier. No.1 Court increasingly hosts high-profile matches as well, particularly since its roof was completed, but generally offers a slightly more accessible ticket at a comparable seating tier, making it a strong option for spectators who want a top-tier match-day experience without the premium attached to Centre Court specifically.
The atmosphere also differs subtly. Centre Court’s larger bowl and global broadcast presence give it a grander, more occasion-driven feel, particularly during the second week. No.1 Court’s slightly more compact layout means the crowd noise and atmosphere can feel more concentrated, which many regular attendees prefer for the genuine tennis experience rather than the spectacle.
Ticket Types and How They Affect Your Seat
Not all Wimbledon tickets are sold the same way, and the route you use to secure a ticket can affect exactly where you end up sitting.
• Public ballot tickets — allocated through the official annual public ballot, these are spread across various blocks on both Centre Court and No.1 Court and do not allow you to choose a specific seat in advance
• Debenture tickets — held by debenture holders for a five-year term, these occupy the most premium courtside blocks on both show courts and can be resold legally through official Wimbledon-approved resale channels
• Hospitality packages — typically include a fixed seating allocation in a specific premium block, often paired with a hospitality suite; see our dedicated guide to Wimbledon hospitality packages for full pricing details
• Grounds passes — do not include access to Centre Court or No.1 Court seating, but allow entry to the outside courts and the grounds generally
Because the public ballot does not let you select your exact seat, most spectators who want a specific seating area — such as a particular block or a guaranteed unrestricted view — need to go through debenture resale or an official hospitality package rather than the standard ballot route.
Weather, the Roof, and Your Seat
Both Centre Court and No.1 Court now have retractable roofs, which has fundamentally changed how seating location interacts with weather. Before No.1 Court’s roof was completed in 2019, rain delays were a genuine risk for matches on that court, and spectators in any tier could lose hours of play. With both show courts now roofed, the primary weather consideration shifts from “will my match be delayed” to “will the roof be closed,” since a closed roof changes the court’s acoustics and atmosphere noticeably — matches under a closed roof tend to feel louder and more contained, an experience some spectators specifically hope for and others prefer to avoid.
The outside courts, by contrast, remain uncovered, so if your ticket type only grants access to the grounds and outside courts rather than the two show courts, weather remains a genuine factor in your day.
Tips for First-Time Wimbledon Spectators
• Arrive with your seat block number ready — stewards around both show courts can direct you quickly if you know your block, and entrance points are not always intuitive from outside the grounds
• Check your ticket’s printed gate or entrance letter, since show court entrances are spread around the building and the nearest gate to your seat may not be the one closest to the main grounds entrance
• Bring layers regardless of forecast — even with the roof available, queueing and walking between courts before your match happens outdoors, and British summer weather is genuinely unpredictable
• Build in extra time on Middle Sunday and the first few days of the Championships, when crowds are heaviest across the grounds and queuing at entrance points takes longer
Spectators attending their first Wimbledon often underestimate how much walking is involved between the show courts, the outside courts, and the food and retail areas — comfortable shoes are a genuinely practical recommendation regardless of which seating tier you are in.
Finally, remember that strawberries and cream, the most famous food tradition at the Championships, are sold throughout the grounds rather than only near specific courts, so there is no need to plan your seating around access to the queue for them — though the queue itself can be longest during the lunchtime changeover between morning and afternoon sessions on the show courts.
Accessibility and Wimbledon Seating
Wimbledon provides dedicated wheelchair-accessible seating areas on both Centre Court and No.1 Court, located within specific blocks rather than spread evenly across the seating bowl. These areas are bookable through the official ticketing process and through accessibility-specific channels, and they typically include space for a companion seat alongside. Anyone planning a visit with accessibility requirements is strongly advised to contact the All England Lawn Tennis Club directly well ahead of the Championships, since accessible seating allocations are limited and arranged separately from the general ballot and resale routes.
Beyond the seating itself, the grounds are generally well equipped for accessible navigation, with step-free routes between the main show courts and designated drop-off points for those who need them, though the scale of the grounds means planning a route in advance is still worthwhile.
Whatever block you end up in, arriving with realistic expectations about sightlines, walking distances between courts, and your specific row position will make the day go far more smoothly than relying on assumptions from photos or general descriptions alone.
With that in mind, the seating plan is just one part of a successful Wimbledon visit, but it is the part worth understanding in advance.
Bottom Line
| Centre Court capacity | ~14,979 — fully roofed |
| No.1 Court capacity | ~12,345 — fully roofed since 2019 |
| Best view for following play | Lower tier, baseline blocks |
| Best value with strong sightlines | Lower tier, side blocks slightly off-centre |
| How to read your ticket | Block number, then row letter, then seat number |
| Restricted-view seats | Small number exist, marked on official seating plan, priced lower |
| Can you change seats? | No — stewards enforce allocated seating once play starts |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Wimbledon Centre Court seating plan?
The Wimbledon Centre Court seating plan divides the stadium into numbered blocks arranged around the court in a lower and upper tier, with row letters running from A (closest to court) upward through each block. Centre Court holds approximately 14,979 spectators and has been fully roofed since 2009, meaning every seat is covered when the roof is closed.
Where is the best seat at Wimbledon Centre Court?
Lower-tier seats positioned behind the baseline at either end of Centre Court generally offer the clearest view for following rallies and shot direction, while side-on lower-tier seats provide a strong overall view of the court at a typically lower price point than baseline seats.
How many seats are in Wimbledon No.1 Court?
No.1 Court has a capacity of approximately 12,345 spectators. It was rebuilt in 1997 and fitted with a retractable roof in 2019, making it the second Wimbledon show court, after Centre Court, to offer full weather protection.
How do I read my Wimbledon seat number?
Wimbledon tickets display a block number, a row letter, and an individual seat number, in that order. Block numbers run sequentially around the court, while row letters start at A nearest the court and progress alphabetically moving up and back through each seating block.
Are there restricted-view seats at Wimbledon?
Yes, a small number of seats on both Centre Court and No.1 Court have a partially obstructed view, typically due to roof support structures. These are clearly marked as restricted view on the official seating plan and are usually sold at a reduced price compared to unrestricted seats in the same general area.