The world’s best tennis players are set for some blockbuster matches at the fourth edition of the United Cup, the innovative mixed team event in Perth and Sydney from Friday 2 to Sunday 11 January 2026.
In today’s official draw, eighteen countries were divided into six groups of three teams.
Icons of the game, Wally Masur and Jelena Dokic, attended the proceedings, while Casey Dellacqua and Matt Ebden attended the United Cup draw at the RAC Arena in Perth.
Perth
Defending champion Team USA and top seeds lead Group A and return to Perth in 2026. Led by world No. 3 Coco Gauff and world No. 6 Taylor Fritz, the US will face Spain and Argentina in the group stage.
Third seed Team Italy, led by world number 8 and 2024 Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini and rising star Flavio Cobolli, will meet Stan Wawrinka of Team France and Team Switzerland and world number 11 Belinda Bencic in Group C.
Team Great Britain, with a fresh line-up including world number 10 Jack Draper and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, will headline Group E alongside Team Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari and debutant Team Japan led by four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and 2019 Junior Wimbledon champion Shintaro Mochizuki.
Sydney
World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime and teenage talent Victoria Mboko top Group B in Sydney as the No. 2 seed in the 2026 competition. They will face Team Belgium and Team China.
Group D consists of Team Australia led by world number 7 Alex de Minaur and the country’s new top woman, world number 32 Maya Joint. Team Czech Republic and Casper Ruud’s Team Norway complete the group.
United Cup 2024 champions Team Germany, led by world number 3 Alexander Zverev and debutant Eva Lys will star in Group F, alongside Polish world number 2s Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz and Team Netherlands.
United Cup tournament director Stephen Farrow said the 2026 draw will see some of the biggest names in tennis play in the United Cup this summer.
“We are extremely proud of this competition because of what it represents and celebrates, the fact that our great sport of tennis is played by so many great athletes, both on the female and male sides of the sport,” said Farrow.
“Bringing these athletes together to play not only for big ranking points and prize money, but also for their country and national pride, is what makes this competition so special.
“It’s an intense and exciting atmosphere with loads of fans coming out to watch. Some of the best players in the world are really committed and want to win on court in Perth and Sydney. We have a huge amount to look forward to in January.”
Western Australian Minister for Tourism, the Hon. Reece Whitby MLA said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome such a talented line-up of tennis teams to Western Australia. I am extremely excited that we will be hosting the USA and Italy for huge tennis matches that will deliver another incredible year of major events for the state.
“Events like the United Cup build on WA’s status as a premier destination for major sporting events, putting our vibrant capital in the spotlight during the beautiful summer months.
“Returning for a fourth year, the United Cup is a fantastic event that is part of our economic diversification strategy to attract visitors to our state and inject millions of valuable tourism dollars, boosting local business and employment.”
NSW Minister for Sport and Minister for Employment and Tourism Steve Kamper added: “As the host city of the tournament’s biggest matches, the United Cup is one of the most anticipated events of Sydney’s busy sporting summer, giving fans a rare opportunity to watch the world’s best tennis players compete for their country.
“The electric atmosphere of the Ken Rosewall Arena, created by passionate fans from around the world, is a truly unique experience that will once again showcase Sydney as one of the world’s greatest venues for international sport.”
The tournament schedule will be announced tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18. Tickets for the group stage will go on sale from Wednesday, November 19 at 12pm local time in Perth and Sydney. Tickets for adults start from $40 and from $20 for children ages 3-12.
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