"The Queue is an archaic, uncomfortable, and outdated practice"

Jose Morón | 30 Jun 2026 | 18.06

"The Queue is an archaic, uncomfortable, and outdated practice." Photo: Getty

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With the start of Wimbledon, classic images of what this tournament represents return, such as the historic The Queue. I admit that I do not like this practice and I do not see the romantic and special meaning that many people give to it. From my point of view, it is an archaic, uncomfortable practice that is completely outdated.

For those who are unaware, The Queue is one of the practices that Wimbledon offers to its visitors. In it, a few hundred tickets for the main courts are made available each day at a reduced price. Anyone wishing to obtain one of these tickets must queue overnight and sleep there to secure a spot at the front of the line when the distribution takes place.

What happens? It used to be enough to arrive around 4-5 in the morning to secure a good place in line. Now, you have to sleep there and camp out all night in one of the tents, with all that entails. People who have been there and experienced it tell us how difficult it is if it rains, as you end up getting your clothes wet, even inside the tent, not to mention the cold.

There are no facilities to charge your phone, and there are barely a couple of toilets for over a thousand people who gather there each day. Obviously, no showers, only toilets, and after several hours the smell pushes many away, according to reports. Moreover, if you are away from your spot in the queue for over an hour, whether to eat or use the bathroom and take longer than necessary, you get kicked out and lose your place.

The organizers wake everyone up at 4:30-5 a.m. to pack up the tents and get in line. If it is cold or raining at that time, which sometimes happens, those queuing will endure it until 9-10 in the morning. Those lucky enough to get a ticket to see tennis on one of the main courts will do so hungry, with wet clothes, no phone battery, smelling bad from not showering for over a day, and completely exhausted from barely getting a couple of hours of sleep.

Some who have been there mention falling asleep in the middle of matches and not fully enjoying the experience due to being so drained of energy.

Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion, but I neither like nor agree with the famous The Queue at Wimbledon.

It has an idealization that I don't understand.

In the year 2026 and they still force people to camp out all night under the stars to buy a ticket.

I understand that it's what has… https://t.co/quLW0vZRMH
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) June 29, 2026

The Queue: An Experience More Suited for the British

On the other hand, the British defend the purpose of The Queue, stating that it is more of a practice tailored to them, as they can come and go from their homes more comfortably, make shifts, or be somewhat more at ease. Ultimately, they have grown up with this practice and have been accustomed to it since childhood, so they consider it part of their tennis culture.

In 2026, when virtual queues exist and people are exempt from having to go through such a sometimes overly uncomfortable experience, it is incomprehensible that they still maintain something like that. While understanding that it is part of the Wimbledon experience and that it is optional, it remains more characteristic of another century than something a younger person wanting to enjoy sports would accept, avoiding hunger, exhaustion, and cold just to get a ticket.

Those coming from abroad especially have a harder time, as carrying everything needed for a camping trip to watch tennis is far from convenient. In general, it seems more like a practice for the British rather than for other fans. As is often said, there are tastes for all colors, and some may find it interesting and choose to do it, while for others, it may be off-putting.

I suppose it's a classic case: either you love it or you hate it, as usual. I'm not sure which side you find yourself on if you've read this far. For me, I'm certain that if I wanted to go to Wimbledon, I would not go through The Queue to buy a ticket. Not there or at any other tournament. I guess it's an experience not meant for me.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "The Queue es una práctica arcaica, incómoda y desfasada"

ATP