Next Gen ATP Finals

PalaCalafiore · Reggio di Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

9 December 2026 – 13 December 2026

From 9 to 13 December 2026, the Next Gen ATP Finals return to Italy and make a stop in Reggio Calabria, bringing one of the most prestigious events in international tennis to the PalaCalafiore. The event brings together the world’s best Under-20 tennis talents, who take centre stage in a competition that looks to the future of the sport and which, over the years, has served as a crucial showcase for many champions of the new generation.

What the Next Gen ATP Finals are, and why they are coming to Reggio Calabria

From 9 to 13 December 2026, the PalaCalafiore in Reggio Calabria hosts the Next Gen ATP Finals, the ATP tournament reserved for the eight best Under-20 players of the season. This is no ordinary event: launched in 2017 as a laboratory for the tennis of the future, it has since launched champions who now sit at the top of the world rankings. For Reggio Calabria it is the first time ever that top-level international tennis has chosen Southern Italy as its stage: every previous Italian edition was held in Milan. Five days of matches, $2 million in prize money and international attention on the Strait of Messina.

The official announcement: New York, US Open, September 2026

Reggio Calabria's selection was announced on 9 September 2026 in New York, during the US Open, at a press conference bringing together the leaders of world and Italian tennis: Andre Silva, ATP Chief Tour Officer, Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP), and Roberto Occhiuto, President of the Calabria Region. Also at the table were Italy's Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, and, joining remotely, Reggio Calabria's mayor Francesco Cannizzaro. Binaghi tied the choice to a wider plan to take top-level tennis beyond Milan, where the tournament was born in 2017, and grow the sport in the South. Cannizzaro called it a "historic" opportunity for the city, promising it would be found not just ready, but "extremely well prepared".

PalaCalafiore: the largest indoor arena in Southern Italy

Matches are played at the PalaCalafiore, in the Pentimele district, opened in 1990 as PalaPentimele and rededicated in 2004 to Reggio-born sports journalist Francesco Calafiore. With 8,450 seats it is the largest indoor sports arena in Southern Italy and the seventh largest in the country, recognisable for its shell-shaped roof designed by architects Vincenzo Legnani and Giuseppe Arena. It has already hosted top-level tennis, including a Fed Cup final and three editions of the European men's team cup, alongside the home games of basketball side Viola Reggio Calabria. For the Next Gen ATP Finals the venue is being upgraded to ATP Tour international standards, with a dedicated indoor court being installed.

The format: experimental rules built for the tennis of tomorrow

The Next Gen ATP Finals are not played like a standard tournament. The eight qualifiers are split into two round-robin groups of four; the top two from each group advance to cross semifinals, leading to the final. Matches are best-of-five sets, but each set is played to four games rather than six, with a tiebreak at 3-all; there is no-ad scoring (a single deciding point at deuce) and no lets on serve, with play continuing even if the ball clips the net cord. Changeovers last 90 seconds instead of the usual 120. The tournament was also the first, back in 2017, to fully replace line judges with Hawk-Eye Live electronic calling, now paired with video review and on-court coaching during matches.

From Milan to Jeddah, and back to Italy: the tournament's history

The Next Gen ATP Finals were launched in 2017 at Fiera Milano, staying there through 2022. From 2023 to 2025 the tournament moved to King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; after that agreement ended early, the ATP reopened the bidding process for a new host from 2026, won by Italy with Reggio Calabria. The list of champions speaks for itself: winners include Stefanos Tsitsipas (2018), Jannik Sinner (2019) and Carlos Alcaraz (2021), all of whom went on to reach world No. 1. The defending champion is American Learner Tien, who beat Belgium's Alexander Blockx in the 2025 Jeddah final.

The Race: who is fighting for a place in Reggio Calabria

Players don't enter the event directly: they qualify through the Next Gen ATP Race, the season-long ranking reserved for Under-20 players. As the season heads into its decisive phase, Spain's Rafael Jodar leads the standings by a healthy margin, followed by Brazil's João Fonseca, who is close to mathematically securing his spot. The fight for the remaining places is far tighter, with barely fifty points separating fourth from eleventh; names in contention include Japan's Rei Sakamoto and Italy's own Federico Cinà, an 18-year-old from Palermo coming off a breakthrough season capped by his first Grand Slam main-draw win at Roland Garros and a career-high ranking of 168. An Italian place at Reggio Calabria via Cinà would close the circle on home soil.

Prize money and what players take home

The 2026 edition carries a total prize pool of $2 million. Unlike main ATP Tour events, the Next Gen ATP Finals award no ranking points, but earnings still count toward each player's season total, and simply reaching the finals guarantees a substantial base payout that grows with results all the way to the final. Even the two reserve players, on standby but not in the main draw, receive a fee. For a twenty-year-old, though, what matters most is rarely the cheque: it's the international stage and the direct test against the strongest peers on tour, which over the years has made this event a springboard to the rankings that really count.

Reggio Calabria gets ready: an event beyond tennis

For the City of Reggio Calabria, the appointment isn't limited to five days of matches. Mayor Cannizzaro has spoken of ambitions to turn the PalaCalafiore into a point of reference for Southern Italy, able to regularly host international-calibre sporting, musical and cultural events, and of a possible expansion of the city's accommodation capacity through new B&Bs and hotel investment ahead of the expected influx of fans and industry professionals. The historic Circolo Tennis "Rocco Polimeni", which has already hosted an Italy-USA Fed Cup final and three Davis Cup ties, has been brought into the local organising effort alongside ATP and FITP technical staff, who carried out venue inspections in the months leading up to the event.

Getting there, where to stay, what to do in Reggio Calabria

The PalaCalafiore sits in the Pentimele district, north of central Reggio Calabria, well connected by Reggio Calabria Centrale railway station and the Strait of Messina Airport. Visitors staying for more than one day can pair the matches with a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia, home to the Riace Bronzes, and a walk along the Falcomatà seafront promenade, once described by Gabriele D'Annunzio as "the most beautiful kilometre in Italy". To plan a stay, the portal lists holiday rentals in Reggio Calabria and local businesses, restaurants and services in the city; visitors wanting to extend the trip along the Costa Viola can also browse the rest of the calendar in the events section.

Tickets and how to follow the event

Ticket sales for the 2026 Next Gen ATP Finals run through the official ATP and FITP channels, which in the weeks before the event announce price tiers, hospitality packages and any full-week passes: the up-to-date reference remains the official tournament website alongside the channels of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation. The technical side of the event, format and rules, is explained in detail on the official rules and innovations page; the race for qualification can be followed on the Next Gen ATP Race, updated weekly by ATP Tour.

Frequently asked questions

When are the 2026 Next Gen ATP Finals played?

From 9 to 13 December 2026, at the PalaCalafiore in Reggio Calabria.

Why was Reggio Calabria chosen?

The announcement came on 9 September 2026 in New York during the US Open, with ATP, FITP and the Calabria Region. It is the first time the Next Gen ATP Finals are played in Southern Italy: every previous Italian edition was held in Milan (2017-2022).

Who takes part in the tournament?

The eight best Under-20 players from the Next Gen ATP Race, the season-long ranking for young players. The final line-up is only confirmed once the Race concludes, close to the event.

What is the prize money?

$2 million in total. The tournament does not award ATP ranking points, but earnings count toward each player's season total.

How many seats does the PalaCalafiore have?

8,450 seats: it is the largest indoor arena in Southern Italy.

How does the playing format work?

Two round-robin groups of four players, cross semifinals and a final. Best-of-five sets played to four games, no-ad scoring, no lets on serve, and Hawk-Eye Live replacing line judges.

Who won previous editions?

Champions include Stefanos Tsitsipas (2018), Jannik Sinner (2019) and Carlos Alcaraz (2021), all of whom later reached world No. 1. The defending champion is American Learner Tien (Jeddah 2025).

Does Italy have a player in contention?

Yes, Federico Cinà from Palermo is among the contenders for one of the last qualification spots in the Next Gen ATP Race, after a season capped by his first Grand Slam main-draw win at Roland Garros.

Where can tickets be bought?

Sales run through the official ATP and FITP channels; the up-to-date reference is the tournament's official website (nextgenatpfinals.com) and that of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (fitp.it).

Related events and news

All Costa Viola events