LONDON: The AELTC on Wednesday announced updated details for Wimbledon 2021, including ticketing capacities, COVID-status certification, other health and safety requirements, prize money for competitors, initial wild cards, and the launch of the third consultation on the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project.
Further to discussions with the UK government, public health bodies and the local authority in Merton, The Championships 2021 has been approved to take place as a pilot event in the third phase of the Government Events Research Programme.
An initial sale of tickets for the public will go live at wimbledon.com/2021tickets at 1pm on Thursday 17 June, and prospective buyers must be registered with myWIMBLEDON by midnight BST on Wednesday, 16 June, in order to access the ticketing platform for the initial sale. Further details on these ticket sales will be published shortly.
As a result ticket-holders for The Championships will be required to follow strict entry requirements and provide consent to participate in the ERP’s science-led programme.
All ticket-holders attending The Championships will be required to show proof of COVID status upon entry, either in the form of both vaccinations (first and second dose), and with the second dose 14 days ago; or a negative lateral flow test (for those aged 11 and over).
Proof of a negative lateral flow test taken within 48hrs of attending the event can be displayed via SMS text, or via the NHS App.
Proof of vaccine can be displayed via the NHS App, NHS website or by downloading and printing off a PDF through the App or website.
A non-digital letter is also available through the NHS website using the ‘Get your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination status letter’ service or by phoning 119.
Users of the NHS App will also be able to show their natural immunity (through a positive PCR test in the last 180 days) through the NHS App.
Ticket-holders will be required to wear face coverings while moving around the venue grounds. To further trial the suspension of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (face coverings and social distancing), the use of face coverings and social distancing will not be mandatory while ticket holders are seated while at the venue. 
This will enable ticket-holders to sit with any guest at any time, both in the court and in food and drink spaces, however we expect there still to be a form of social distancing around the Grounds, particularly in managing any queues.
In order to manage the flow of movement, the Grounds will open at the earlier time of 10am, with play commencing on outside courts at 11am, on No.1 Court at 1pm and on Centre Court at 1.30pm.
Spectator count
As agreed with the government, The Championships 2021 will begin on Monday 28 June with 50 per cent capacity across the venue grounds. Stadium capacities for Centre Court and No.1 Court will open at 50 percent capacity, while the smaller show courts will be permitted to open at 75 percent capacity from Monday 28 June.
For the Fourth Round and Quarter-Finals, AELTC aims to increase Centre and No.1 Courts allocations, along with a number of Grounds passes, and for the Semi-Finals and Finals, the aim is to have 100% capacity on Centre Court, with a small number of tickets on No.1 Court and Grounds passes.
There may be further sales to come during the Wimbledon fortnight depending on the progress of capacity modelling in partnership with Merton and the Events Research Programme team.
Further details on ticket sales will be published shortly. 
Prize Money
The AELTC announced the total prize money fund for The Championships 2021 will be £35,016,000, with the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Singles Champions each receiving £1.7 million.
When setting prize money levels for this year, the AELTC considered a number of factors, including constraints on crowd capacity; the substantial investment required to provide quality accommodation with a full range of services in order to create a Minimised Risk Environment as well as a comprehensive testing programme for players and their support teams; and significant financial support for the wider grass court season, both in the UK and Europe.
The total prize money fund of £35,016,000 represents a 5.2 per cent decrease on 2019 (£36,919,000) and despite the challenges outlined above, demonstrates the key strategic importance for The Championships to continue to invest in the players. These figures are prize money only and do not take into account the cost of player accommodation that the AELTC will cover in 2021, which will cost several million pounds, in lieu of the £1,081,000 of per diem payments made directly to players in 2019.
As in previous years, and particularly in this challenging year for tour players, the focus of distribution has been on supporting players in the early rounds of the tournament, for example in the Qualifying Competition (a 17.5 per cent increase overall) and Main Draw singles players in the opening rounds (including a 6.7 per cent increase in first round prize money to £48,000). Only four players in each singles draw will receive prize money at a lower level than was awarded in 2019. The Wheelchair and Quad Wheelchair events will also receive a 17 per cent increase in prize money this year.
For a full breakdown of prize money at The Championships 2021, please click here.
