The All England Club continues to shake up its own traditions. One year after replacing its line judges with electronic line calling, Wimbledon takes another technological leap for its 2026 edition: video review makes its debut on the London grass.
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The concept is straightforward but represents a major shift. Players will be able to ask the chair umpire to watch a video replay to contest certain decisions. Covered situations include double bounces (not-up), foul shots, and net touches. However, electronic line calling decisions remain final and cannot be challenged through this system.
A notable detail: the system imposes no limit on requests. Unlike the old Hawk-Eye format where each player had three challenges per set, video review is available without restriction. A player convinced of being right can ask the umpire as many times as needed, with no penalty for incorrect challenges.
The system will be deployed on six courts: Centre Court, Court No. 1, and four other show courts during singles matches. Matches on outside courts will not benefit from the technology in this inaugural edition.
This announcement marks a remarkable technological acceleration for a tournament long seen as the most conservative of the four Grand Slams. In two years, The Championships has successively abandoned its line judges, a tradition spanning 147 years, then adopted video review. The contrast with the slow pace of past reforms is striking.
Qualifying rounds, taking place from June 22 to 25, will not yet use the technology. The main draw begins June 29 with a record prize pool of £64.2 million, a 20% increase from 2025. Singles champions will each receive £3.6 million.
