The WTA Finals is scheduled to be played in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November as the third year in a three-year contract, but according to reports the WTA may be looking to move the end-of-year event and Indian Wells could be a possible a potential destination.
Tennis correspondent Jon Wertheim reported that the Indian Wells Tennis Garden was being discussed as a possible future home for the WTA Finals. He said that the move could come either in 2027 after the three-year deal with the Saudi Arabian capital city expires, or even in time for the 2026 event, as the expiring deal and ongoing conflict in the Middle East has cast some doubt on the competition.
The conversation was continued by other reports, and former players and panelists Alison Riske-Amritraj and Chanda Rubin weighed in on the possibility of Indian Wells being an ideal spot for the event due to its facilities and ideal mid-November weather.
“I think it would be absolutely phenomenal and obviously the players would love it,” Riske-Amritraj said on Tennis Channel. “Everyone loves Indian Wells.”
The Chinese city of Shenzhen was scheduled to host the event from 2019-2028, but the WTA Finals were moved to Guadalajara, Mexico in 2021 due to travel restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the event has moved to various locations since. That includes Riyadh where it was played in 2024 and 2025 and is scheduled to be played Nov. 7-14 later this year.
The three-year deal with Riyadh, which will end after this year’s event, sparked some backlash from the tennis community, largely because of continued legal positions related to human rights and, specifically, women. Homosexuality, for example, is criminalized under Saudi law, and critics including tennis icons Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert point out that Saudi Arabia still has antiquated laws and practices that treat women unequally in relation to marriage, divorce, child custody and family law.
At this point, though, the WTA has not announced a move from the 2026 event in Riyadh.
“Planning for the 2026 WTA Finals is ongoing, with a focus on ensuring the event meets the high standards expected of the season-ending championships,” the WTA wrote in a statement to The Desert Sun. “Our priority is to deliver a world-class experience for players, fans, and partners, while ensuring the continued success of one of women’s sport’s premier events.”
Representatives from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden said they have no comment on the situation as it currently stands.
Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev compete on Stadium 1 during the BNP Paribas Open final at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif., on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
What is the WTA Finals
The end-of-the-season event is played in November and consists of the top eight women’s singles players in a one-week tournament. There is also a tournament of the top eight doubles teams as well.
To get a feel for the caliber of the event, the 2025 WTA Finals field featured Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Madison Keys and Jasmine Paolini.
Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the final. Coincidentally, those two met three months later in the BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells with Sabalenka winning.
Why Indian Wells makes sense
The WTA Finals have been held in the United States on multiple occasions, with the most recent being 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. Rosie Casals, a co-founder of the WTA and a Coachella Valley resident, believes that the U.S. is where the event should be played.
“I think it’s time that it returns to the U.S.,” Casals said. “I’d really like to see that, though it always comes down to money and how much can be made from the event.”
While reports have linked Charlotte as a possible future destination for the WTA Finals, with a strong market, existing venues and city officials who have shown interest in major tennis events, Indian Wells in November is also highly attractive.
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden offers a sterling track record for hosting major tennis events, existing world-class infrastructure, established logistics and accommodations and perfect late autumn weather.
Tennis fans walk up to the top level of Stadium 1 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Thursday, March 5, 2026.
Indian Wells also offers one of he most iconic tennis stadiums in the world, which seats 16,100 fans. That’s larger than any other tennis-specific stadium in the world outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. It’s slightly more than Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris, which seats 15,225 at Roland Garros.
“I was aware that potentially the WTA Finals were exploring other site possibilities but I heard nothing while I was away in Paris,” said tennis Hall of Famer Mark Woodforde, who lives near Indian Wells and was broadcasting while at Roland Garros earlier this month. “Having said that, it would be fantastic.”
Woodforde added, “It would be fantastic is such a major event outside of the BNP Paribas Open can be played here. I mean, the facility is probably dying to have some more international world-class tennis.”
He’s not alone in thinking that.
“Personally, I would love to see the event moved to Indian Wells, my hometown,” Casals said. “I think it would be great for the desert to have something like that come here and I know that the tennis people in Indian Wells would do a great job with it.”
Andrew John covers the BNP Paribas Open for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Why Indian Wells would be in play if WTA Finals leave Riyadh, Saudi Arabia