How influencers ruined the Wimbledon queue: British tennis fans are turned away after content creators encouraged thousands of tourists to swarm SW19 in viral videos
Influencers have shared their experiences of what it is like to join the queue, which is now considered one of the must-try experiences for tourists visiting London over the summer.
Published: 12:46 BST, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 06:01 BST, 2 July 2026
The Wimbledon queue was once considered an open secret among tennis fans, loved for its extraordinary organisation, strict etiquette and having its own official rulebook.
But Britons have this week been turned away from Wimbledon en masse or are choosing to avoid the event altogether - after content creators encouraged thousands of tourists to swarm SW19 in viral social media videos.
Dozens of TikTok and Instagram posts telling people how to secure coveted tickets for the prestigious tennis tournament have racked up millions of views, likes and shares.
Other influencers have shared their experiences of what it is like to join the queue, which is now considered one of the must-try experiences for tourists visiting London over the summer.
In a post from last year, one American woman bragged how she had secured Centre Court tickets for less than £50 after joining the 10-hour line.
She encouraged others to do the same and shared a guide on 'everything you need to know if you don't have tickets and want to queue for Wimbledon'.
Meanwhile, another influencer with 25,000 followers turned up in flip flops as she vlogged her 'six-hour' stint in the queue.
Influencers have shared their experiences about what it is like to queue for Wimbledon on social media
Dozens of TikTok and Instagram posts telling people how to secure coveted tickets for the tennis tournament have racked up millions of views, likes and shares
Influencers have shared their tips and tricks on how to queue for Wimbledon
The Queue first exploded on social media in 2024 - and since then it has become something of a global phenomenon.
It has become so popular that Wimbledon chiefs, who had once feared the tradition might 'die out' after the Covid pandemic, are now struggling to cope with record demand.
On Monday, Wimbledon Park, where the famous queue begins, was visibly heaving at 8.30am by which point 10,000 people had already turned up.
All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton told the Daily Mail the line was 'effectively full' and advised people not to travel to the Championships as they would not get in.
'We were at 10,000 by about 8.30am [on Monday] so we are advising people, if they haven't already set off to travel, not to travel, because the queue is effectively full,' she said.
'I think back to that period post-Covid where we were somewhat nervous that the queue might die, and ironically the queue has become increasingly popular over that period of time.'
Fed-up tennis fans have said the Queue has become so long, that it is no longer worth lining up for tickets.
One person posted on X: '8k at 6.30am?! Nah, The Queue is utterly f***** these days.'
One influencer with 25,000 followers turned up in flip flops as she vlogged her 'six-hour' stint in the queue last year
A second added: 'First time doing the Wimbledon Queue in 9 years! I arrived at the same time (just before 5am) but last time I was No.1785, today No.4857!!
'Who knows when I'll get in. Beating the first tube used to be the trick, not anymore!'
A third said: 'Genuine question: Do you really have to queue in a field for two days to get a decent seat at Wimbledon. What's that about?'
When the Daily Mail visited the queue last year we discovered a legion of American fans who had travelled across the Atlantic to experience tennis's oldest Grand Slam.
A group of six best friends, hailing from Florida, New Jersey and Texas, flew eight-and-a-half hours to London especially for the occasion.
One of the best friends, Jennie, said: 'We've been queuing since 7am and we are hoping to get in there today.
'We're want to attend for the next three days so we will be queuing up every day.'
Cohen, Kiah and Bart also travelled to the Championships from Milwaukee in the US whilst on a two-week tour of Europe.
Bart described how he took another two days off work with permission from his boss to come to the event, adding: 'It was her idea.
'I told her about the trip and I said, 'If I was to stay two days longer to go to Wimbledon...' and she said, 'Then you go to Wimbledon!'.'
Pavements and walkways outside the All England Club have been blocked by bikes that have overflowed from the designated drop-off points
Sir David Beckham was praised by Aryna Sabalenka for staying in his seat as Wimbledon's Royal Box emptied after the men's tennis finished on day one of the tournament on Monday
Rental bikes pile up in Wimbledon Park as thousands use them to join the queue
Earlier this week, Wimbledon bosses said the issues with overcrowding have been exacerbated by Lime bikes which have made it possible for people to arrive in the early hours of the morning.
'It used to be people catching the first Tube into Southfields,' Ms Bolton said.
'Now, with Lime and other hire bikes, people can reach the queue much more easily from further afield.'
Pavements and walkways outside the All England Club have been blocked by bikes that have overflowed from the designated drop-off points.
It's prompted Merton Council to warn operators: 'If the situation does not improve quickly, the council will start seizing bikes where there is a serious safety risk.'
They added: 'We're disappointed that a small number of riders are ignoring the rules, and we expect Lime and Forest to be issuing fines to riders to ensure Merton's streets are clear and safe.
'We've also made sure both Lime and Forest have increased their staffing during the tennis to deal with abandoned or poorly-parked bikes as quickly as possible.
