The ATP Challenger Tour in 2026: 35 Showcase events and everything else you need to know

The 2026 season on the ATP Challenger Tour is underway, offering tennis fans around the world another year of thrilling matches and rising stars. This year, viewers have the opportunity to follow 35 Challenger Showcase Events on Tennis Channel, bringing the excitement of Challenger-level tennis directly to your screen.

👉 Download the Tennis Channel app to get Challenger Showcase coverage throughout 2026.

In the following guide, you’ll find answers to the most important questions about the ATP Challenger Tour—everything you need to know about the tournaments, the players, and why this circuit is such a crucial pathway to the top of professional tennis.

What is the ATP Challenger Tour?

The ATP Challenger Tour is the second-highest level of men’s professional tennis, sitting just below the ATP Tour. It serves as a critical bridge between entry-level professional events and the world’s biggest tournaments.

Challenger tournaments give players the opportunity to earn valuable ATP ranking points and experience in order to qualify for ATP Tour events and Grand Slams. The tour features a mix of rising young talents, established professionals working their way back up the rankings, and experienced veterans extending their careers.

👉 Go to tennis.com/ATPChallengerTour for stories on all three categories of Challenger Tour player.

With about 265 tournaments held year-round across all continents and on every major surface, the ATP Challenger Tour plays a vital role in developing the next generation of stars while keeping professional tennis competitive and accessible worldwide.

What are the different Challenger categories?

The ATP Challenger Tour is divided into several tournament categories, which differ mainly in ranking points, prize money and field strength. These categories help structure the tour and give players clear pathways for progression.

ATP Challenger 175

·      Highest Challenger category

·      Winner earns 175 ATP Ranking points

·      Frequently attracts Top 50–80 players

·      Highest prize money on the Challenger Tour

·      Prime events for fans to see ATP Tour stars competing at Challenger level

ATP Challenger 125

·      Winner earns 125 ATP Ranking points

·      Premium level of the tour with consistently strong fields

·      Mix of rising stars, established professionals and national standouts

·      Frequently attracts Top 100 players

·      Many of the most prestigious and long-standing Challenger tournaments fall into this category

ATP Challenger 100

·      Winner earns 100 ATP Ranking points

·      Important stepping stone for young players and those transitioning from lower tiers

·      Strong international participation

·      Top 100 players often headline the fields

ATP Challenger 75

·      Winner earns 75 ATP Ranking points

·      Traditional Challenger level

·      Features up-and-coming players alongside more experienced competitors, sharpening their swords

ATP Challenger 50

·      Winner earns 50 ATP Ranking points

·      Introduced in 2023

·      Development-focused events

·      Often showcase emerging talent at the early stages of professional careers

·      Entry point for many players moving up from the ITF World Tennis Tour

What’s the difference between Challenger 175 and Challenger 125 Events?

This year’s six Challenger 175 events (Phoenix, Cap Cana, Cagliari, Aix-en-Provence, Valencia and Bordeaux) represent the highest category on the ATP Challenger Tour. They are scheduled alongside the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, Madrid and Rome, making them a natural competitive option for top players seeking match play, rhythm, or a quick points boost. As a result, these events regularly feature players ranked inside the Top 50 or Top 80—many of whom lost early at the corresponding Masters event—offer significantly higher prize money, and award more ranking points than any other Challenger level.

In 2025, João Fonseca triumphed in Phoenix, while Aleksandar Kovacevic lifted the trophy in Cap Cana. Borna Coric secured a dramatic win in Aix‑en‑Provence, and Alexander Bublik claimed the title in Turin. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard emerged victorious in Bordeaux, and Alex Michelsen rounded out the list with his win in Estoril.

Tennis Channel and ATP share a common goal: to bring fans closer to the entertainment and drama of tennis. Andy Reif, Tennis Channel Senior VP of International and Programming

Fans hoping to catch established ATP Tour players competing on the Challenger Circuit should focus on Challenger 175 tournaments, as they provide the best opportunity to see well-known tennis names “play down” in a more intimate setting.

Challenger 125 tournaments form premium events of the Challenger Tour. They are defined by consistently strong and balanced fields, typically featuring a mix of rising prospects, established veterans and leading players from the host nation. These events are the backbone of the Challenger ecosystem, offering weekly continuity and competitive depth. Most of the 35 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel fall into this category, which explains their sustained quality, prestige and visibility throughout the season.

👉 Download the Tennis Channel app to get Challenger Showcase coverage throughout 2026.

What’s the Prize Money on the Challenger Tour?

The ATP has announced a record $32.4 million in ATP Challenger Tour prize money for the 2026 season, featuring an additional $5 million in singles compensation compared to 2025.

ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “Challenger Tour prize money has nearly tripled since 2022. This is what our ‘OneVision’ strategy was designed to do—create the foundation for investment in our sport to deliver greater financial security to more players. There’s more room to grow, and we’re working to unlock the opportunities to build on this progress.”

Enhancements planned for 2026 include expanding the calendar from 216 to 265 events. With the addition of 50 new Challenger 50 tournaments, players will have greater opportunities to compete and progress, further strengthening the professional pathway to the ATP Tour.

Does the Challenger Tour follow the ATP Tour calendar?

Largely, yes. The Challenger Tour is intentionally built to mirror the ATP Tour in terms of surface progression and geography, allowing players to prepare for higher-level events without changing conditions.

At the same time, the Challenger Tour places great importance on staging multiple tournaments each week across different continents. This approach allows players in various regions of the world to compete closer to home, reducing long and costly travel demands while making the tour more accessible and sustainable for a broader range of players.

Early Season: Hard Courts & Indoors (January–February)

The year opens with hard courts and indoor events, matching the Australian Open swing and Europe’s indoor season.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of January 5: Bengaluru Open (Bengaluru, India)

2. Week of January 25: Open Quimper Bretagne Occidentale (Quimper, France)

3. Week of January 25: Bahrain Ministry of Interior Tennis Challenger (Manama, Bahrain)

4. Week of February 9: Teréga Open Pau Pyrénées (Pau, France)

5. Week of February 16: Play In Challenger (Lille, France)

Spring Transition: Global Hard Courts and start of the Clay Swing (March)

March is one of the most talent-dense Challenger months, aligned with the ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of March 2: Rwanda Challenger (Kigali, Rwanda)

2. Week of March 9: Arizona Tennis Classic (Phoenix, United States)

3. Week of March 9: Republica Dominicana Open (Cap Cana, Dominican Republic)

4. Week of March 23: Morelia Open (Morelia, Mexico)

5. Week of March 23: Napoli Tennis Cup (Naples, Italy)

Clay Season: Europe Takes Over (April–June)

As the ATP Tour shifts to clay, so does the Challenger Tour, especially across Southern and Western Europe.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of April 6 Mexico City Open (Mexico City, Mexico)

2. Week of April 13: Busan Open (Busan, South Korea)

3. Week of April 27: Sardegna Open (Cagliari, Italy)

4. Week of April 27: Open Aix Provence Crédit Agricole (Aix-en-Provence, France)

5. Week of May 11: Copa Faulcombridge (Valencia, Spain)

6. Week of May 11: BNP Paribas Primrose (Bordeaux, France)

7. Week of June 1: Roncade Challenger (Roncade, Italy)

Grass & Summer Blend (June–July)

Grass season is short but impactful, with Challenger stops that directly support Wimbledon preparation.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of June 8: Lexus Ilkley Open (Ilkley, United Kingdom)

2. Week of June 15: Parma Challenger (Parma, Italy)

3. Week of July 6: Hall of Fame Open (Newport, United States)

European Summer Peak (July–August)

Clay returns, with some of the most tradition-rich Challenger events on the calendar.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of July 6: BRAWO Open (Braunschweig, Germany)

2. Week of July 13: Internazionali Di Tennis San Marino Open (San Marino)

3. Week of July 20: Dialectic Zug Open (Zug, Switzerland)

North American Hard Courts (August–September)

As the US Open approaches, the Challenger Tour becomes a critical pathway for ranking points and match play.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of July 27: Odlum Brown Van Open (Vancouver, Canada)

2. Week of August 17: Québec National Bank Challenger (Québec City, Canada)

3. Week of August 17: Cleveland Open (Cleveland, United States)

Fall Indoor Season (September–November)

The last clay-court events take place before the season concludes indoors, where experience often beats youth.

📲 Challenger Showcase events on Tennis Channel:

1. Week of September 7: Copa Sevilla (Seville, Spain)

2. Week of September 14: Invest In Szczecin Open (Szczecin, Poland)

3. Week of September 21: Layjet Open (Bad Waltersdorf, Austria)

4. Week of October 5: Ferrero Challenger (Villena, Spain)

5. Week of October 12: Palermo Challenger (Palermo, Italy)

6. Week of October 19: Olbia Challenger (Olbia, Italy)

7. Week of November 2: BW Open (Ottignies-Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium)

8. Week of November 9: Open d'Orléans (Orléans, France)

9. Week of November 16: HPP Open (Helsinki, Finland)

Why do the 35 Challenger Showcase events matter?

The 35 Showcase events are not simply highlights on the calendar, they are the pillars of the Challenger Tour. They provide stability and prestige, deliver reliable and high-quality fan experiences, and consistently attract strong player fields.

With added broadcast visibility on Tennis Channel, these tournaments help transform a vast and complex global schedule into a coherent season that fans can easily follow, week by week.

Is it worth attending a Challenger event?

Absolutely, yes! If a Challenger Tour event is taking place near you, be sure to stop by and experience the tennis action live. It’s a unique opportunity to see the sport up close and possibly watch future stars before they break through on the biggest stages. After all, today’s top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz also began their professional journeys on the Challenger Tour.