SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
The O2 offered a first look at Laver Cup London on Monday as the competition’s signature black court, made up of 460 pieces, took shape inside the arena.
Team World captain Andre Agassi had the first hit on center court, while Team Europe vice-captain Tim Henman look ahead to the weekend’s competition. “We fancied our chances 12 months ago, and we definitely fancy our chances this weekend,” declared Henman.
Reflecting on his first Laver Cup experience, which came at The O2 in 2022, Henman said he was “completely blown away by the whole atmosphere, the intensity of the competition, the way the benches worked. It’s been amazing to witness the growth of the event.”
The former British No.1 and esteemed television commentator began his new role with Team Europe alongside captain Yannick Noah in San Francisco last year, in a tightly fought edition Team World won 15-9.
“We fancied our chances 12 months ago, and we definitely fancy our chances this weekend,” declared Henman.
Five of Team Europe’s players from its 2025 roster return this week, including two-time Grand Slam champion Alexander Zverev, seven-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz, No. 7 Flavio Cobolli, No. 15 Jakub Mensik and a veteran of five Laver Cups, Casper Ruud. Joining them for the first time is Spaniard Rafael Jodar, who Henman described as “one of the biggest stories in tennis of the past 12 months”.
The task ahead is for the players to acclimatize to the conditions and the court, build team chemistry, test new doubles combinations, and prepare for the unique demands of the competition, with the added boost of home-court advantage working in Team Europe’s favor.
“Britain has an amazing fan base,” Henman said. “When you reflect on tennis in London, we’ve had The [Wimbledon] Championships for 149 years, we had the [ATP] Tour-ending championships and the Laver Cup. To me, those events are all about the best against the best.”
But Henman is not taking anything for granted against Team World, led by captain Andre Agassi and vice-captain Patrick Rafter.
“There have been so many shocks and surprises,” Henman said. “There’s no script, you don’t know what’s going to happen; that adds to the excitement. The next few days are important to make sure the players are prepared as best they can.”
Laver Cup CEO Steve Zacks said the format – two sets followed by a 10-point match tiebreak if the sets are split 1-1 – “has definitely led to a lot of surprises”.
“Whoever’s the favorite doesn’t necessarily come out on top,” he said. “There’s a lot of pride, a lot of pressure from playing on a team with your colleagues. You compete with them 51 weeks of the year, but while you’re here, you’re representing them. You want to win for those teammates. It creates a lot of pressure.”
Joining Henman and Zacks for a first look at The O2’s Laver Cup transformation was Alex Hill, President and CEO of AEG International.
“We’re over the moon to have Laver Cup back here,” he said. “It’s an incredibly special venue. One of the reasons why is because the Laver Cup pays so much attention to the fan experience. I’ve been here for 19 years now. This is without doubt one of the best sporting events you could have in an arena. The fans know it. The players know it.”
It will be the third time the Laver Cup has been held at an AEG arena, including the historic first appearance at The O2 in 2022, when Roger Federer played the final competitive match of his career alongside Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, and Berlin’s Uber Arena in 2024.
In addition to the on-court action this week, the Laver Cup Fan Zone opens on Thursday at 10:30 am in Peninsula Square, and on Friday through Sunday at 10:00 am. Free to the public, there will be entertaining sponsor activations, a giant screen to watch live Laver Cup tennis matches, food, beverage and merchandise outlets, and live recordings of the popular Served podcast, hosted by Andy Roddick.
“The fans are going to be in for a really exciting week,” said Hill. “From the moment a fan comes on site, they’re going to have an unforgettable experience.”
Check out the Laver Cup event guide.
How to watch Laver Cup London 2026
Limited tickets are still available via AXS, the official ticketing partner of The O2.
