Queens is about to turn into the center of the tennis universe again, and this year it’s bringing back a name most of us assumed retired for good. 🎾
US Open Fan Week returns to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from Sunday, August 23 through Saturday, August 29, and before a single Grand Slam point gets played, the grounds are handing out a week’s worth of free practices, live music, food, and tons of tennis programming.
Here’s everything worth knowing before the gates open!
Roger Federer is actually coming back
Let’s start with the headline news, because it’s a big one.
Roger Federer, the only player in history to win five consecutive US Open singles titles, is returning to Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since 2019 for a one-night-only exhibition called Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York.
The match happens Tuesday, August 25 at 7 pm, and Federer isn’t showing up alone.
He’ll share the court with longtime rival and 2003 champion Andy Roddick, plus tennis royalty Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.
Unlike the rest of Fan Week, this one requires a paid ticket, and given that it’s Federer’s first appearance at the tournament since retiring in 2022, expect this to move fast.
There’s a $1 million reason to show up mid-week too
Buried in the middle of Fan Week is arguably the second-biggest headline of the whole thing.
The US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins runs Monday, August 24 through Wednesday, August 26, and this isn’t some throwaway sideshow.
Revamped in 2025 with a $1 million prize for the winning team, the event has quickly become one of the most star-studded draws of the entire tournament.
This year’s headline pairing is hard to top: Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic are teaming up, putting two of the sport’s biggest singles stars on the same side of the net for the first time.
Here’s how the three days break down:
- Monday, August 24: Qualifying rounds in Grandstand, free to attend with your Fan Access Pass, 11 am start
- Tuesday, August 25: First round and quarterfinals split between Louis Armstrong Stadium (free with Fan Access Pass, 10 am) and Arthur Ashe Stadium (ticketed, starting around $30, 11 am)
- Wednesday, August 26: Semifinals and the final, Arthur Ashe Stadium, 7 pm, tickets starting around $45
The scheduling here is worth noting for planning purposes, since Tuesday, August 25 is genuinely stacked. Mixed doubles action wraps in the daytime before Federer takes over Arthur Ashe that evening, so it’s entirely possible to catch both if you plan your day right.
Yes, Fan Week is still free, but there’s a catch
The good news hasn’t changed: grounds admission during Fan Week is free.
The catch that’s new for 2026 is that every adult now needs to register for a free Fan Access Pass just to get through the gates, a shift from previous years where showing up was enough.
The pass isn’t just a formality either. It’s your ticket to RSVP for the events that fill up fastest, including the Silent Disco and the Block Party, and while kids under 18 don’t need their own pass, adults have to specify how many minors they’re bringing when they register.
Do this ahead of time, since walk-up registration on-site is possible but you’re better off not testing it on a Saturday.
What’s actually happening each day
Fan Week runs on the same DNA as previous years, player practices, the Qualifying Tournament, and a rotating cast of activations, but the 2026 lineup adds a few new wrinkles.
Here’s what’s confirmed:
- Sunday, August 23: Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day kicks things off with family programming across the grounds
- Monday, August 24: Mixed Doubles Qualifying begins in Grandstand (free with Fan Access Pass), plus the Silent Disco returns to Fountain Plaza in the evening
- Tuesday, August 25: Mixed Doubles first round and quarterfinals run during the day, followed by the Federer exhibition in Arthur Ashe Stadium that evening
- Wednesday, August 26: Mixed Doubles semifinals and final take over Arthur Ashe Stadium at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, August 27: Stars of the Open presented by Chase brings rising talent to Arthur Ashe Stadium at 6 p.m., featuring World No. 25 João Fonseca, World No. 30 Alexandra Eala, and Americans Learner Tien and Iva Jovic, with a portion of every ticket benefiting the USTA Foundation
- Friday, August 28: US Open Media Day, followed by the Block Party with DJ D-Nice
- Throughout the week: Player practices, the Arthur Ashe Stadium Experience, and the US Open Qualifying Tournament continue across the grounds
Stars of the Open tickets start around $30, and this year the event is moving to fully reserved seating in Arthur Ashe Stadium, so there’s no scrambling for open seats once you’re inside.
The food lineup is genuinely stacked this year
Tennis aside, Fan Week has quietly become one of the better food crawls in the city for one very simple reason: you don’t need a match ticket to eat like you have one.
And in 2026, the USTA and hospitality partner Levy just announced a culinary lineup that’s leaning harder into celebrity chefs and NYC institutions than ever before.
A few debuts are worth planning your visit around:
- Salt Hank’s, the West Village sandwich shop famous for its $32 French Dip, is making its US Open debut in the Food Village
- Cosme, chef Enrique Olvera’s acclaimed Flatiron restaurant, is taking over the space formerly occupied by Mojito, bringing his renowned duck carnitas and mole madre to the grounds
- Miznon, chef Eyal Shani’s Mediterranean street food concept known for stuffed pitas and green beans served like fries, joins the lineup for the first time
- Simon Kim, back for a third year with COQODAQ and CQDQ, is debuting KIMBOP this year, fresh gimbap inspired by the meals his mother packed him growing up in Seoul
Longtime favorites aren’t going anywhere either.
Expect Pat LaFrieda, Carnegie Deli, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Fuku, Korilla BBQ, San Matteo NYC, and Dos Toros Taqueria all back on the grounds, alongside returning chefs like Alex Guarnaschelli, Masaharu Morimoto, who’s introducing a new handroll and nigiri concept at the Arthur Ashe club level, and José Andrés, whose Oyamel restaurant continues running the Dobel Tequila Club.
And yes, the honey deuce, the tournament’s signature Grey Goose vodka lemonade served in a souvenir glass, is returning as always, alongside the Dobel Tequila Club’s Ace Paloma.
Food and drink options run across all 22 days of the tournament, from Fan Week through the final, so there’s no risk of showing up on the wrong day and finding an empty Food Village.
Getting there and making a day of it
The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sits in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, easily reachable via the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point.
Grounds are generally open from 9:30 am to 6 pm, with some evening programming, like the Silent Disco and Block Party, running later into the night.
A few things worth knowing before you go:
- Register for your Fan Access Pass online in advance rather than waiting to do it at the gate
- Fan Access Pass is valid for the entire week once registered, you don’t need to re-register daily
- Ticketed events like the Federer exhibition and Stars of the Open require a separate purchase on top of your free pass
- Bring cash or a card for food, since lines move fast but vendors sell out of popular items early in the day
🎾 For even more information about the 2026 US Open Fan Week, head to the event’s page here.