Wimbledon officials will discourage VIPs in the royal box, including David Beckham, from watching World Cup matches on their phones, chief executive Sally Bolton has confirmed. The football, including England's second-round clash against DR Congo, will not be shown on any of the big screens around the grounds.
No Football on Screens
Sally Bolton OBE, Chief Executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, said: "We're not going to be showing the football on any of the big screens around the grounds, but clearly, if people have got their phones, then we're not going to prevent people from watching the football."
When asked whether VIPs in the royal box would be stopped from watching on their phones, Bolton added: "We do discourage people in the royal box from using their phones anyway."
Queue Reaches Capacity by 10am
The famous Wimbledon queue, which allows fans to buy tickets on the day, closed by 10am after officials counted 10,000 people in line by 8.30am. Bolton noted that fans are arriving earlier than in previous years, using electronic hire bikes like Lime bikes instead of waiting for the first tube.
Bolton said: "The queue is really busy this morning. We were at 10,000 by about 8.30, so we are advising people if they haven't already set off to travel not to travel, because the queue is effectively full."
She added: "The time you used to have to arrive was the first tube into Southfields, but now with the availability of Lime and other available branded bikes, people can get to the queue much more easily from slightly further away, rather than waiting for the first tube."
Commitment to Accessibility
Bolton emphasized the club's commitment to the queue system, stating: "We are absolutely committed to what the queue stands for, which is accessibility. People have the opportunity, if they're willing to queue and probably camp overnight, to get a Centre Court ticket for a day here at the championships, and that is something we are absolutely committed to protecting."
She added: "It's very busy, you know, by comparison to last year, it is really busy. But, you know, all of the ingredients are there, we've got amazing matches, the sun is shining, you know, all of those ingredients to make it so popular."
Pricey Refreshments
Spectators are keeping cool with official handheld fans priced at £20. The mechanical devices feature the tournament's logo. Temperatures are expected to exceed 25 degrees.
A new Strawberries & Cream themed pint of Stella costs £9.30, while an ordinary pint is £8.95 – 10p more than last year. A 330ml version is £8.20, and a non-alcoholic pint is £7.90. Kopparberg Crisp Apple cider (4.5%) is £8.90 per pint, Camden Eazy IPA (5%) is £8.90, and Camden Pale Ale is also £8.90.
Champagne prices have risen: a mini bottle of Lanson Le Rose is £31.35 (up £1.50), half-bottle £57.95, full bottle £102 (up £1.10), and a magnum £228.80. A glass of Pimm's is £13.45 (up £1.20), and a new "Centre Court Cooler" cocktail is £12.80. House spirits (25ml) are £4.95, premium spirits £6.15.
A bottle of Ultimate Provence Rose is £56.50, magnum £117.20; Petit Chenin Blanc is £58.50; 175ml Thirsty Birds Rose is £10.95.
Reusable 750ml Evian water is £5, 330ml sparkling Evian £2.70, 330ml Coca-Cola Zero and Sprite £2.90. Frobishers Juice (250ml) is £4.45, Twinings Sparkling Tea (250ml) £3.70.
A punnet of strawberries and cream costs £2.85 (up 15p). Plant-based sausage (kimchi in brioche) and Cumberland sausage (crispy onions) are both £8.70.
Protests and Player Dispute
Around 100 protesters, wearing giant ears, demonstrated against the proposed All England Club's expansion in Wimbledon Park, asking "are you listening?"
A player protest over prize money, which would have seen stars like Jannik Sinner curtail media commitments, was called off after last-minute talks with Wimbledon bosses.
