When:
22-27 September 2026
Location:
Shenzhen (China)
Venue:
The Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre Arena
The impressive multi-sports complex, overlooking the Shenzhen Bay, is often referred to as the 'Spring Cocoon' because of its unique elliptical roof design. The venue opened in 2011 and houses a 20,000-seat football stadium, an indoor gymnasium, basketball and tennis courts, an indoor pool, and even a luxury hotel.
The arena was inaugurated with the opening ceremony of the 2011 Summer Universiade – now named the Summer World University Games – which Shenzhen hosted for student athletes from around the planet.
The Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre is also a popular choice for hosting concerts, having seen the likes of Mariah Carey, Linkin Park, Westlife, and Jessie J perform in the arena.
Inauguration:
The Billie Jean King Cup - formerly known as the Federation Cup (1963-1995) and Fed Cup (1995-2020) - was launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Defending champions:
Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup final in 2025 – defeating USA 2-0 in the final. Jasmine Paolini and Elisabetta Cocciaretto both won their singles matches in straight sets to successfully defend their title.
Which teams are competing at the Billie Jean King Cup 2026?
Italy (defending champions), China (host nation), Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Belgium
Billie Jean King Cup Finals draw:
Eight teams are set to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The teams will play a straight knock-out competition starting with the quarter-finals through to the final.
Here’s the full draw for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals:
Quarter-finals
Match A: Great Britain vs Czechia
Match B: Italy vs China
Match C: Ukraine vs Belgium
Match D: Kazakhstan vs Spain
Semi-finals
Winner of Match A vs Winner of Match D
Winner of Match B vs Winner of Match C
How many players are in each Billie Jean King Cup team?
Each nation assembles a team of four or five players, with the country captain deciding which players will compete in the singles and doubles matches.
Tournament format:
A new format was introduced for the 2025 Finals, as 12 teams were narrowed into an eight-team event to mirror the Davis Cup Final 8 format.
That will be repeated in 2026, with the Finals starting at the quarter-final stage, followed by the semi-finals and final, which will be played on Sunday, September 27th.
Each of the seven knockout ties will comprise three matches – two singles followed, if required, by a doubles match – with the first nation to win two matches clinching the tie.
All matches will be played on the same day and as best-of-three tiebreak sets.
What happens with the losing teams from the Qualifiers?
The seven teams who failed to make the Finals – Australia, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland and the USA – are now set to take part in the 2026 BJK Cup Play-offs, to be held in the week of 16 November.
They will be joined by the seven successful nations from the three Regional Group I events and will battle for a place in the 2027 BJK Cup Qualifiers.