A Wimbledon debenture is a financial instrument issued by the All England Lawn Tennis Ground plc, a company owned by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), entitling the holder to a premium seat on Centre Court or No.1 Court for every day of The Championships across a five-year series. The tickets debenture holders receive are the only Wimbledon tickets that can be legally resold. Every other route to a seat, from the public ballot to the Queue, is not.
What is a Wimbledon debenture?
A debenture and a debenture ticket are not quite the same thing, though the terms are often used interchangeably. The debenture is the bond: a loan made to The All England Lawn Tennis Ground plc, the company that owns the grounds at Church Road. It pays no interest. Instead, the holder receives Championship privileges for each year of the five-year series, chiefly a reserved seat. A debenture ticket is what that bond entitles the holder to: the seat itself, and the access that comes with it. A ticket buyer is always dealing with the second, never the first. Holders are both individuals and companies, and many have held their debentures for decades.
Where are debenture seats located?
Debenture seats occupy a fixed band on each show court, though the exact position differs between them.
| Centre Court | No.1 Court | |
|---|---|---|
| Debenture rows | A to N | A to Q |
| Position | Approximately level with the Royal Box | Lower tier, close to the court |
Holders keep the same seat number for the duration of each year’s Championships, but are allocated a different position within that band in each of the five years of the series. The AELTC does this deliberately, so that seat quality is shared evenly across the life of the debenture.
Why debenture tickets can be legally resold
Every Wimbledon ticket carries a price printed on it, except one kind. Debenture tickets carry the word “Debenture” where the price would normally sit, and that distinction is what makes them the only Wimbledon tickets that may be legally transferred or sold on. Ballot tickets, by contrast, are strictly non-transferable. They cannot be passed to a third party, sold or given away, and using one that is not yours can see you turned away at the gate.
This is the fact that makes the rest of the market make sense. It is why an overseas visitor can buy a guaranteed Centre Court seat from a travel operator months in advance, while the public ballot allocates seats at random and offers no such certainty.
What debenture ticket holders get access to
Beyond the seat itself, a debenture ticket opens up several areas of the grounds that are closed to the general public.
- Exclusive debenture lounges, with separate areas for Centre Court and No.1 Court holders
- Debenture bars and restaurants, which can be pre-booked ahead of the day
- A dedicated entrance gate
- A dedicated debenture holders’ car park
The car park is a small but genuine point of difference, one few visitors think to ask about before their first Championships, and it can matter more than the seat itself on a day when London traffic is against you.
A short history: what debenture money built
The first Championships were played at Worple Road in 1877. By 1919, the ground could no longer hold the crowds that wanted in.
In 1920, the AELTC issued its first debentures, raising £100,000 to buy the land at Church Road and build a new stadium there. Around 2,000 subscribers paid £50 each, on a 25-year maturity. It was, by any measure, a modest sum for what it built.
The first No.1 Court debenture issue followed in 1997. Since then, debenture money has funded the retractable roofs on both show courts, the Wimbledon Museum, and the AELTC’s acquisition of the neighbouring Wimbledon Park Golf Club.
Wimbledon as it stands today was built with debenture money. The ground exists because roughly 2,000 people lent £50 each in 1920, and every debenture issue since has added to what that first one started.
How to get a debenture ticket for Wimbledon 2027
For most fans, a debenture seat is out of reach, but a day on Centre Court or No.1 Court doesn’t have to be. Keith Prowse Travel has offered premium tickets and packages for Wimbledon for many years, pairing a guaranteed seat with the travel and accommodation around it. If those courts are what you’re after, our Wimbledon Packages page is the place to start.
FAQs
What is a Wimbledon debenture ticket?
A debenture is a five-year bond in the company that owns the Wimbledon grounds. It pays no interest. Instead, the holder gets a reserved Centre Court or No.1 Court seat for every day of The Championships.
Where are debenture seats located?
On Centre Court they’re in rows A to N, approximately level with the Royal Box. On No.1 Court they’re in rows A to Q, in the lower tier close to the court.
Can debenture tickets be legally resold?
Yes. They’re the only Wimbledon tickets that can be legally resold. Ballot tickets are strictly non-transferable.
How can I get a debenture ticket for Wimbledon 2027?
Buying a debenture outright is a five-year commitment, and new issues are heavily oversubscribed. Premium tickets and packages are the realistic route to a Centre Court or No.1 Court seat. Start with our Wimbledon travel packages.
