US Open Fan Week 2026: Free Days, Schedule and Fan Access Pass
US Open Fan Week 2026 is underway, running 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 |
| Opened with | Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, Sunday, August 23 |
| Tennis | Singles qualifying, August 24 to 27, and the Mixed Doubles Championship, August 24 to 26 |
| Venue | Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Queens, New York |
| Main draw starts | Sunday, August 30 |
What is US Open 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. In the US Open Qualifying Tournament, 128 men and 128 women play for the final 16 main draw places on each side. 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.
US Open 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. Qualifying Wildcard Challenge, Courts 4 to 7 |
| Mon, Aug 24 | Qualifying round one. Mixed doubles qualifying, 11 a.m., free in the Grandstand. Silent Disco, 7 to 9 p.m. |
| Tue, Aug 25 | Qualifying round two. Mixed doubles rounds one and two. Roger Federer exhibition, 7:30 p.m. |
| Wed, Aug 26 | Qualifying round three. Mixed doubles semifinals and final, 7 p.m. |
| Thu, Aug 27 | Final qualifying round. Stars of the Open, 6 p.m. |
| Fri, Aug 28 | Media Day with Andy Roddick, 1 to 4 p.m. 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.
Two daily extras run all week. Heineken Happy Hour brings live music and drink offers to Fountain Plaza, Monday to Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. And the first 1,000 fans each day through August 28 receive a limited edition Spider-Man Marvel comic cover, claimed with the Fan Access Pass.
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day 2026
New this year: Kids’ Day opened Fan Week on Sunday rather than sitting later in the week.
It ran 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 stadium show in Arthur Ashe featured the Savannah Bananas playing on-court games alongside US Open stars, followed by a meet and greet. A concert on the Fountain Plaza Stage brought Maddox Batson, JayDon, SIMIEN, JYT and Iris Copperman, hosted by Txunamy Ortiz.
Admission was free, and the same format is expected to open Fan Week 2027.
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, and you can still register now for the remaining days.
Register at usopen.org, on the Fan Week page, or through the official US Open app. Connect the pass to the app for event reminders and a daily itinerary.
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 Block Party and other grounds events, and how you claim the daily Marvel comic giveaway.
There is a prize draw attached. Completing your Fan Pass profile enters you into the draw for tickets to the 2026 women’s and men’s finals.
Free Evening Events
The Silent Disco opened the free evening programme on Monday, with DJs Jasmine Solano, Curly Nez and Whutever spinning through wireless headphones in Fountain Plaza. Two headline events remain, both on Friday, August 28.
US Open Media Day, 1 to 4 p.m. on the Fountain Plaza Stage. Andy Roddick interviews top players in a live taping of his Served podcast.
US Open Block Party, 7 p.m. in Fountain Plaza, headlined by D-Nice alongside Natasha Diggs.
The Block Party needs an RSVP through your Fan Access Pass. RSVP does not guarantee entry and capacity limits apply, so arrive early.
Ticketed Events During Fan Week
Three Arthur Ashe events required a separate ticket this week. One is still to come.
Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York played to a sold-out Arthur Ashe on Tuesday night. The five-time champion, back on this court for the first time since 2019, beat Andy Roddick 6-3 in a one-set singles match, then partnered John McEnroe to beat Andre Agassi and Roddick 7-5 in doubles.
Mixed doubles in Arthur Ashe. The semifinals and final are Wednesday night from 7 p.m., with tickets from $45. The week has already produced a shock: qualifiers Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten, the doubles world No. 1s, knocked out top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic in round one, and Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz fell in the quarterfinals. Andreeva and Rublev, Bencic and Cobolli, Svitolina and Monfils, and Muchova and Mensik make up the final four.
Stars of the Open presented by Chase, Thursday, August 27 at 6 p.m., is the last ticketed event. A mic’d-up exhibition featuring João Fonseca, a French Open quarter-finalist this year, Alexandra Eala, the first Filipina to win a WTA singles title, and Americans Learner Tien and Iva Jovic. Tien reached the Australian Open quarter-finals in January and holds a career high of No. 18. Jovic is 18 and the youngest player in the WTA top 20.
Tickets 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, with the schedule posted daily in the US Open app.
Why Fan Week is Worth the Trip
It is free. Seven days of Grand Slam grounds access at no cost, against a main draw where grounds passes resell for hundreds of dollars.
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 final qualifying round is Thursday, August 27.
The mixed doubles delivers. This year’s championship has already seen the doubles world No. 1s upset Sabalenka and Djokovic, and Serena Williams return to a Grand Slam court alongside Carlos Alcaraz. The title is decided Wednesday night in Arthur Ashe.
Planning Your Visit
Take the 7 train or the Long Island Rail Road Port Washington Branch to Mets Willets Point.
Qualifying play starts at 11 a.m. on most days. Check gate times on usopen.org or the app before you travel. 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.
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, with men’s doubles semifinals, wheelchair tennis and junior tournament matches around the grounds.
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 US Open Fan Week 2026?
No. Grounds admission is free for all seven days, August 23 to 29. 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 still register for the Fan Access Pass?
Yes. Registration stays open through Fan Week and takes about a minute at usopen.org or in the US Open app. Add the pass to your phone wallet for faster entry at the gate.
Is US Open qualifying worth watching?
Yes. 128 men and 128 women compete for the final 16 main draw places on each side, so players are fighting for a Grand Slam berth and prize money. The final qualifying round is Thursday, August 27.
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?
The Federer exhibition on August 25, Stars of the Open on August 27, and the mixed doubles sessions in Arthur Ashe Stadium. All qualifying, the Silent Disco, Media Day and the Block Party are covered by free grounds admission.
What is the cheapest way to sit inside Arthur Ashe Stadium?
Stars of the Open on Thursday, August 27, with tickets from $30. No main draw session comes close to that price.
Who is left in the US Open mixed doubles?
Andreeva and Rublev, Bencic and Cobolli, Svitolina and Monfils, and Muchova and Mensik reached Wednesday’s semifinals. Top seeds Sabalenka and Djokovic were knocked out in round one by doubles world No. 1s Siniakova and Patten.
Plan Your Fan Week
Three days remain. Thursday brings the final qualifying round and Stars of the Open, Friday brings Media Day and the Block Party, and Saturday is the last practice day before the main draw starts Sunday.
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.