Wimbledon Bans Influencers from Media Credentials After U.S. Open

Wimbledon has drawn a clear line in the grass.

Influencers looking to turn Centre Court into their next content backdrop will have to stay outside the gates this summer, after the All England Club decided it will not grant them media credentials. The move comes on the back of a turbulent U.S. Open, where an aggressive push to welcome digital creators helped tip the atmosphere from lively to unruly.

At Flushing Meadows, around 100 content creators were accredited alongside traditional journalists and broadcasters. The result was a swirl of ring lights, constant filming and a level of background noise that bled into the action. Players complained. Matches were disrupted. The line between show and sideshow blurred.

Wimbledon, the most protective of tennis’s old rituals, has taken note.

The club has introduced tighter controls designed to preserve what it sees as the core of its tournament: quiet, order and respect for the players. Security staff have been instructed to confiscate items such as ring lights, which have become a staple of influencer kits but a nuisance for those trying to serve at 120mph. The message is blunt. The court is not a studio.

This is not just about gadgets. It is about an atmosphere that, at the U.S. Open, frequently spilled over.

In New York, fans repeatedly halted play by snapping photos with bright flashes and filming with intrusive lighting, adding to a constant hum of chatter and movement. High-profile names such as Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka spoke out, stressing that fan behavior has limits and that the spectacle on court needs space to breathe. Tournament officials responded with on-screen reminders urging respect and, in a rare step, revoked the credentials of two content creators.

The problems were not confined to phones and noise. Players also complained of the pervasive smell of marijuana drifting through the stands. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka had to pause a third-round match because of what she described as a “very strong smell” of marijuana, making her irritation plain. Adrian Mannarino summed up the mood from the locker room when he likened the Grand Slam crowd to “a bit of a zoo.”

For Wimbledon, long defined by its strict dress codes, hushed courts and carefully curated decorum, that kind of circus is a warning sign. The All England Club has chosen to act early rather than risk the same slide.

The decision to shut out influencers will not stop fans from filming on their phones or sharing their day out in SW19. But it does send a signal about who gets official access and why. At Wimbledon, the priority remains the players and the match, not the content.