Format and schedule revealed for 2024 edition of tennis' United Cup mixed-gender team competition

Sydney and Perth will co-host a new-look United Cup mixed-gender team competition, with the innovative event being held from 29th December to 7th January 2024.

Perth’s RAC Arena will host the first day of the United Cup on Friday 29th December, with the group stage in Sydney at Ken Rosewall Arena beginning on Saturday 30th December.

Showcasing equality at the highest level of the sport, the world’s top-ranked tennis players will line up side-by-side.

The United Cup, an ATP-WTA event presented in partnership with Tennis Australia, offers a minimum $15 million in prize money and 500 Pepperstone ATP and 500 WTA Tour rankings points.

18 countries will contest the second edition with each city to host nine teams, three more than 2023. Each team will comprise up to three men and up to three women.

Countries will be drawn into six groups of three countries and will compete in a round-robin format.

New for 2024 – each tie will be determined in one session and will include one men’s singles and one women’s singles match featuring the No.1 ranked singles players, followed by one mixed doubles match.

Group winners in each city will advance to the quarterfinals, with one quarterfinal spot in each city awarded to the best runner-up in that city.

Winners will progress to the semifinals and finals in Sydney, which will be played on 6th and 7th January.

The official draw on Monday 23rd October will reveal where each country will start their season.

Participation is subject to players committing to the event by the tournament’s entry deadline of 17th October for the first 16 teams. The remaining two teams will be decided on 20th November.

United Cup Tournament Director Stephen Farrow enthused “After the brilliance of the inaugural United Cup in 2023, I’m delighted the mixed team event will return to Sydney and Perth in 2024.

“The United Cup holds a unique position in global tennis, with the world’s best men and women representing their country at the highest level. Eighteen teams, featuring some of the biggest personalities in the sport, will play across two cities for big prizemoney and big ranking points.

“We saw this year how passionate and intense the crowds were in supporting the United Cup – it was tennis at it’s very best. That’s what it’s all about and we can’t wait to bring that excitement and energy back to Sydney and Perth this summer.”

NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper added “The United Cup will unite the world’s top men’s and women’s tennis players for 10 days of action with the tournament’s biggest matches to be played in Sydney. It will provide fans with a fantastic opportunity to watch emerging and established stars, inspiring future generations of tennis players in an electric atmosphere that will again highlight Sydney’s undeniable ability to host major international sporting events.”

Acting WA Tourism Minister John Carey shared “Our Government is deeply proud to support another blockbuster sporting event for Western Australia and bring the United Cup back to Perth for another year. World-class events like the United Cup give out-of-state visitors another great reason to visit our beautiful state this summer and enjoy all it has to offer.”

WA Acting Sport and Recreation Minister Paul Papalia said, “We know how passionate Australians are about their tennis, and we are thrilled to announce Perth, Western Australia will be hosting the United Cup for the second year in a row. The inaugural United Cup event brought thousands of passionate tennis fans to RAC Arena to witness elite tennis on display, as their favourite international players battled it out for the United Cup – and no doubt they will be back for more again this year.”

World Number 4 tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas played in last year's competition and promoted his trip to Rottnest Island to his millions of followers worldwide.

Format and qualification

• The United Cup takes place from Friday 29 December to Sunday 7 January 2024

• The group stage and quarterfinals in Perth (RAC Arena) run from Friday 29 December to Wednesday 3 January 2024

• The group stage and quarterfinals in Sydney (Ken Rosewall Arena) run from Saturday 30 December to Friday 5 January

• Sydney will host the semifinals and final on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 January

• Teams travelling from Perth to Sydney have a travel and rest day before their semifinal

• Twelve countries will qualify for the United Cup via the six highest-ranked men and six highest-ranked women entered, based on their Pepperstone ATP and WTA Tour rankings

• Six teams will qualify according to the best combined ranking of the highest-ranked men’s and women’s players from the same country

• Australia is guaranteed entry, either directly via ranking or as a wildcard

• Each city will host three groups of three countries, competing in a round-robin format

• Each tie will comprise one men’s singles and one women’s singles match featuring the No.1 ranked singles players, and one mixed doubles match

• Singles matches are best-of-three tiebreak sets. Mixed doubles matches are two tiebreak sets with a deciding match tie-break (10 point) at one set-all

• Group winners in each city advance to the quarterfinals, with one quarterfinal spot in each city awarded to the best runner up in that city

• Winners will progress to the semifinals and finals to be played in Sydney

• The United Cup official draw will be held on 23rd October and will determine where the top 16 countries will play. The second qualification deadline of 20th November will determine the last two teams.

Ticket information and sales at www.unitedcup.com/en/tickets