US Open Fan Week 2026: Free Days, Schedule and Fan Access Pass
US Open Fan Week 2026 runs from Sunday, August 23 to Saturday, August 29 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. Grounds admission is free for all seven days.
You need one thing: a free Fan Access Pass, required for everyone aged 18 and over. It takes about a minute to register.
With main draw grounds passes reselling around $306, this is the best value week of the entire tournament.
Quick Facts: Fan Week 2026
| Dates | Sunday, August 23 to Saturday, August 29 |
| Cost | Free grounds admission |
| Required | Fan Access Pass for everyone 18 and over |
| Children | No pass needed. Each adult can bring up to five minors |
| Opens with | Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, Sunday, August 23 |
| Tennis | Singles qualifying and the Mixed Doubles Championship |
| Venue | Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Queens, New York |
| Main draw starts | Sunday, August 30 |
What is Fan Week?
Fan Week is the week before the main draw, when the grounds open to everyone at no charge.
It is not a warm-up exhibition. The US Open Qualifying Tournament runs across these days, with players competing for the last 32 places in the main draw. The tennis is genuinely competitive.
You also get the practice courts. The top seeds prepare here in the days before the tournament, and during Fan Week you can stand a few feet away from players who will be behind a paid ticket a week later.
The Grandstand, one of the three main stadium courts, is open for close viewing with no assigned seating.
Fan Week 2026 Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sun, Aug 23 | Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stadium show 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
| Mon, Aug 24 | Qualifying round one. Mixed doubles qualifying, free in the Grandstand. Silent Disco, 7 p.m. |
| Tue, Aug 25 | Qualifying round two. Mixed doubles begins. Roger Federer exhibition, 7 p.m. |
| Wed, Aug 26 | Qualifying round three. Mixed doubles semifinals and final |
| Thu, Aug 27 | Final qualifying round. Stars of the Open, 6 p.m. |
| Fri, Aug 28 | US Open Block Party, 7 p.m., Fountain Plaza |
| Sat, Aug 29 | Practice sessions and grounds events |
Qualifying sends 16 men and 16 women into the main draw. The main draw is made on Thursday, August 27.
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day 2026
New this year: Kids’ Day now opens Fan Week rather than sitting later in the week.
It runs Sunday, August 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. across the grounds, with tennis clinics, games, art stations and player appearances.
The traditional stadium show in Arthur Ashe starts at 11 a.m. and runs to 12:30 p.m. This year it features members of the Savannah Bananas. RSVP through your Fan Access Pass, though that does not guarantee entry and capacity limits apply.
Admission is free. Adults still need the pass.
How to Get the Fan Access Pass
The pass is new for 2026 and it is required, not optional. Without one, adults cannot enter during Fan Week.
It is free. There is no charge at any stage.
Register at usopen.org, on the Fan Week page, or through the official US Open app.
Add it to your phone wallet. Apple Wallet or Google Wallet both work, and it makes entry faster.
Adults only. Under-18s do not need their own pass. Each registered adult can bring up to five minors.
Use it to RSVP. The pass is how you register for the Stadium Show, the Silent Disco and the Block Party. It also unlocks headphone collection at the Silent Disco, subject to availability.
There is a prize draw attached. Registering before August 23 enters you for tickets to the 2026 men’s final. Completing your Fan Pass profile gives a second entry, for both the women’s and men’s finals.
Free Evening Events
Three evening events are included with free grounds admission.
Silent Disco, Monday, August 24 at 7 p.m. Second year running. Collect headphones using your Fan Access Pass, subject to availability.
US Open Block Party, Friday, August 28 at 7 p.m. in Fountain Plaza. Third year running, with DJs running from hip-hop to Afrobeats into the night.
Both need an RSVP through your Fan Access Pass. RSVP does not guarantee entry and capacity limits apply, so arrive early.
Ticketed Events During Fan Week
Two evening events at Arthur Ashe require a separate ticket.
Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York, Tuesday, August 25 at 7 p.m. Federer partners Andy Roddick against Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.
Federer is a five-time US Open champion and the only man to win five consecutive titles, and he last competed here in 2019. Face value started around $238 and the session has sold out, so resale is the only route left.
Stars of the Open presented by Chase, Thursday, August 27 at 6 p.m. A mic’d-up exhibition featuring João Fonseca, a French Open quarter-finalist this year, Alexandra Eala, the highest-ranked Filipino player in WTA history, and Americans Learner Tien and Iva Jovic. Tien reached the Australian Open quarter-finals and holds a career high of 15. Jovic is 18 and the youngest player in the WTA top 20.
Tickets for Stars of the Open start at $30, with a portion of proceeds going to the USTA Foundation. That is the cheapest way to sit inside Arthur Ashe Stadium all year.
Also Check: Where to Buy US Open 2026 Tickets?
Everything Else on the Grounds
Brand activations from Tiffany & Co., Wilson, Cadillac, American Express and a Polo Ralph Lauren pop-up.
The food. The same restaurants and concession stands that operate during the main draw are open, without the main draw crowds.
Player practices and media day, both traditional parts of Fan Week.
Why Fan Week is Worth the Trip
It is free. With main draw grounds passes reselling around $306, seven free days is remarkable value.
The crowds are smaller. You can move around, sit close on outer courts and actually watch tennis rather than queue.
You get closer to players. Practice courts during Fan Week put you nearer to the top seeds than almost any main draw ticket will.
Qualifying is good tennis. Players are fighting for a Grand Slam main draw place and a guaranteed cheque.
The mixed doubles is here. The Mixed Doubles Championship runs entirely within Fan Week, with Sabalenka and Djokovic, Rybakina and Fritz, and Swiatek and Ruud among the teams. Monday’s qualifying is free to attend in the Grandstand.
Planning Your Visit
Take the 7 train or the Long Island Rail Road Port Washington Branch to Mets–Willets Point.
Fan Week gate times are posted on usopen.org closer to each date. For comparison, main draw gates open at 9:30 a.m. through September 9, then 11 a.m. from September 10.
Bags are limited to one per person, no larger than 12 by 12 by 16 inches. Backpacks are not allowed except single-compartment drawstring bags. Reusable metal or plastic water bottles up to 24 ounces are fine, glass is not.
Late August in New York is hot and the outer courts have limited shade. Bring sunscreen and a hat.
Arrive early on Kids’ Day. It is the busiest Fan Week day by a distance.
Free Days Later in the Tournament
Fan Week is seven of the eight free days at the 2026 US Open.
The eighth is Open for All Day, Thursday, September 10, during the second week. Grounds admission is free again, though the schedule is lighter because only the show courts are still in use.
Finals weekend has its own programme. US Open Finals Fan Fest runs September 12 and 13 with expanded grounds access and watch parties at Louis Armstrong Stadium and Fountain Plaza. That requires a Finals Fan Fest grounds pass rather than free entry, with gates at 11 a.m. The Finals Afterparty on September 12 features Zedd with special guest HoneyLuv at Louis Armstrong, gates 8 p.m. and performance from 9 p.m.
FAQ About US Open Fan Week 2026
Do you need a ticket for Fan Week?
No. Grounds admission is free for all seven days. Adults need the free Fan Access Pass, which is a registration rather than a ticket.
Do children need a Fan Access Pass?
No. Only adults aged 18 and over need to register. Each registered adult can bring up to five minors.
Can you register for the Fan Access Pass on the day?
You can, but do it in advance. Registering before August 23 also enters you into the draw for men’s final tickets, and having the pass in your phone wallet makes entry faster.
Is US Open qualifying worth watching?
Yes. Qualifying decides the last 32 main draw places, so players are competing for a Grand Slam berth and prize money. You watch from a few rows back rather than a stadium tier.
Can you watch the top players practise during Fan Week?
Usually. The seeds arrive early to prepare, and practice courts are open to fans. Schedules are not published far ahead, so check the US Open app on the day.
Which Fan Week events cost money?
Only two. The Federer exhibition on August 25 and Stars of the Open on August 27, which starts at $30. Everything else, including all qualifying, the Silent Disco and the Block Party, is covered by free grounds admission.
What is the cheapest way to sit inside Arthur Ashe Stadium?
Stars of the Open on August 27, from $30. No main draw session comes close to that price.
Do you need to RSVP for the free evening events?
Yes, through your Fan Access Pass. RSVP does not guarantee entry and capacity limits apply, so arrive early.
Plan Your Fan Week
Register for the Fan Access Pass now, then pick your days. Monday to Thursday gives you the most tennis, Sunday gives you the biggest family event, and Friday gives you the Block Party.
If US Open Fan Week 2026 is your only visit this year, you will still have seen competitive Grand Slam tennis, watched the top seeds practise and paid nothing to get in.
For main draw dates and TV times, see our US Open 2026 schedule. For paid sessions, see the tickets guide.