The 2027 WTA Tour will span 55 tournaments in 26 countries and territories, with a new WTA 250 stop in Manila and the WTA Finals set for Charlotte, North Carolina. The season will also establish equal prize money at every combined WTA 1000 event and trial revised ranking and scheduling commitments for leading players.
Equal prize money at every combined WTA 1000
Rome, the National Bank Open in Montreal or Toronto, and Cincinnati will complete the equal-prize-money lineup at combined WTA 1000 tournaments in 2027. They will join Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing, alongside the United Cup and the four Grand Slam tournaments, in offering matching purses for women and men.
The change is a significant landmark in the WTA’s pursuit of financial equality, a mission dating back to the creation of the organisation in 1973 by Billie Jean King, the Original 9 and more than 60 other players.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo said the revised programme answered player concerns about the demands of the calendar while also delivering a major advance in competitive and financial equality. She credited the work of the Tour Architecture Council, including its chair, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula.
Ranking commitments reduced for Top 50
The 2027 regulations will be introduced as a one-season pilot after approval by the WTA Board. The measures were developed by the Tour Architecture Council, which brought together players, tournament representatives and WTA leadership.
- Top 50 singles players will have their required annual WTA 500 appearances cut from six to four.
- The base commitment will be 14 WTA events plus the four Grand Slams.
- Players may substitute one eligible WTA 1000 result in their ranking with a better result earned at a WTA 500 or WTA 250 tournament.
The trial is intended to give players more room to shape their own schedules while retaining strong fields at major events. Its effects will be reviewed before decisions are made for the 2028 season and beyond.
Pegula said the changes mattered because players spend most of the year travelling. She said the new framework would allow them to arrange seasons more effectively around both personal and competitive priorities.
Manila joins a global calendar
The Philippines will welcome a new WTA 250 tournament in Manila as part of the 2027 schedule. The campaign will run through established and emerging markets before concluding with the season-ending WTA Finals in its new North Carolina home.
The WTA will also introduce a Tournament Investment Fund, directing financial assistance toward selected markets where it can most benefit the health of the circuit. The fund is designed to support the equal-prize-money programme and longer-term development across tournaments, players and fan markets.
Camillo said the model drew on centralised funding approaches used in other professional leagues, with investment aimed at strengthening the tour as a whole.
