Roland-Garros 2026: The complete guide to opening week (May 18-23)
Roland-Garros Opening Week 2026: dates, tickets from €15, qualifying schedule, activities and unmissable events. Everything you need to know.
Roland-Garros public | © FFT
Opening Week is no longer a warm-up act – it has become an event in its own right. From Sunday 18 to Friday 23 May, before the main draw begins, Roland-Garros opens its doors for six days of qualifying matches, player practice sessions, entertainment and special events. With a daily capacity increased to 20,000 spectators this year (up from previous editions), the record for Opening Week attendance is already guaranteed to fall: 80,000 tickets have been sold for the first five days alone.
It’s also the most affordable way into the stadium, with the cheapest tickets in the entire tournament. Here’s everything you need to know.
What happens during Roland-GARROS Opening Week?
Opening Week is built around the qualifying rounds, where 128 men and 96 women play three rounds of matches to earn a spot in the main draw. These matches take place across the outside courts and on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, which hosts the best qualifying matchups of the day with reinforced TV production for 2026.
But the real draw for many fans is the chance to watch the top players train on Court Philippe-Chatrier. From the moment the stadium gates open each morning, spectators can sit in the stands and watch the world’s best prepare — up close, in a relaxed atmosphere. For the first time this year, a live broadcast of training sessions on Philippe-Chatrier will also be produced for TV.
Beyond tennis, Opening Week is packed with activities. The Coupe des Mousquetaires and the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen, the men’s and women’s singles trophies, are presented to the public twice a day at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM in front of the clay wall on Allée Marcel-Bernard, accompanied by musicians.
A new animation, “Call your favorite player”, invites spectators to leave a voice message for their favorite player in a phone booth near Porte 4 — an activation that runs throughout the entire tournament.
During the first four days (18–21 May), the Auditorium hosts “Player Interview” sessions, where a speaker interviews players competing in the tournament – and spectators can even ask their own questions. Other activities include tattoo stands, photobooths with players, jugglers, a fanfare, an ecological fresco, a coloring fresco and a bead workshop.
On the tennis side, spectators can also try their hand at two new activities: Pickleball on a dedicated court near Porte 1 and Urban Tennis on two courts near Suzanne-Lenglen (open from May 18) and Simonne-Mathieu (open from May 23).
A DJ plays music between matches in the Square des Serres throughout qualifying week, spinning excerpts from popular hits and player playlists — adding a festival atmosphere that sets Opening Week apart from the main draw.
What are the unmissable events of Opening Week?
Two special evenings anchor the week.
Wednesday 21 May — “Gaël & Friends” (7:30 PM, Court Philippe-Chatrier). The FFT has given carte blanche to Gaël Monfils to imagine a one-of-a-kind farewell show on the court where he made his name. Matt Pokora and Paul de Saint-Sernin host the evening. DJ Martin Solveig and rapper-dancer Franglish headline the entertainment, alongside major names from French and international tennis.
The charity event benefits Terre d’Impact (the FFT’s endowment fund), KELINA (founded by Flora Coquerel) and the Fondation Epic. A separate ticketing opened on April 16 on the Roland-Garros ticketing site. The show will be broadcast live on the Roland-Garros YouTube channel and across official broadcaster platforms worldwide.
Also during Opening Week (21–23 May), the Awabot robot will allow hospitalized children to experience Roland-Garros remotely. From their hospital beds, they will pilot a robot via a tablet to explore the stadium’s behind-the-scenes areas, attend key moments like the draw ceremony, and even meet players.
Saturday 23 May — Yannick Noah Day. The traditional charity day closes Opening Week with a festive programme. On Court Philippe-Chatrier, exhibition matches featuring top French-speaking champions run from 2:00 to 3:00 PM, followed by a live music show with artists Lenie and Jungeli. On Courts Suzanne-Lenglen and Simonne-Mathieu, children can hit with their idols through the “Play with” animation — catch the ball a player sends into the stands and you earn a spot on court. For the first time, kids will receive a free booklet, Les petits explorateurs de Roland-Garros, with the day’s programme and activities.
Court #2 hosts “Jouer sur la terre de Roland-Garros”, giving lucky spectators the chance to play on the famous clay. Wilson’s “Racket Giveaway” returns – since 2024, more than 3,000 rackets have been donated to associations promoting inclusion through sport, and 400 more will be distributed this year to schools supported by the association Play International, with a group of 15 children invited to test their new equipment on a Roland-Garros court alongside a tournament player and FFT President Gilles Moretton. Face painting, acrobats, jugglers and surprises fill the rest of the day. All proceeds go to partner associations including Fête le Mur and tennis clubs running social and environmental programmes.
How to get Opening Week tickets?
Opening Week tickets went on general sale on 31 March at 10:00 AM CET on a first-come, first-served basis via tickets.rolandgarros.com. They are among the most affordable in the entire tournament — Roland-Garros has put 160,000 tickets on sale at under €30 across the whole event, and Opening Week benefits from the lowest price points. Youth tickets (under 25) are available at €15 thanks to the FFT and its official sponsor BNP Paribas.
Order limits for Opening Week outside courts are generous: up to 15 tickets per person (compared to 4 for main courts during the main draw). All tickets are 100% digital and must be presented via the official Roland-Garros app.
The “Gaël & Friends” show on May 21 has its own separate ticketing.
