Laver Cup 2026: Alcaraz, Zverev and Fritz Lead Star-Studded Teams

The ninth edition of the Laver Cup is set to get underway in London, with Team Europe and Team World preparing to battle for the trophy from September 25-27.

The annual men's team competition will return to The O2 for the second time, with Team Europe looking to reclaim the trophy after Team World won the 2025 edition in San Francisco.

What is the Laver Cup?

The Laver Cup is an annual men's team tennis tournament featuring six players representing Europe and six representing the rest of the world.

Named after Australian tennis great Rod Laver, the event was launched in 2017 and is inspired by golf's Ryder Cup. It is played on an indoor hard court and forms part of the ATP Tour calendar.

The 2026 edition will be staged at The O2 in London from September 25-27.

Who is playing at the Laver Cup 2026?

Team Europe will be led by captain Yannick Noah, with Tim Henman serving as vice-captain.

Team Europe

• Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
• Alexander Zverev (Germany)
• Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
• Jakub Mensik (Czech Republic)
• Casper Ruud (Norway)
• Rafael Jodar (Spain)

Team World will be captained by Andre Agassi, with Patrick Rafter as vice-captain.

Team World

• Alex de Minaur (Australia)
• Taylor Fritz (USA)
• Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan)
• Learner Tien (USA)
• Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina)
• Brandon Nakashima (USA)

Team World's lineup underwent two changes before the tournament. Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton withdrew with injuries, with Cerundolo and Nakashima replacing them.

Cerundolo has previously represented Team World in its 2023 and 2025 title-winning campaigns, while Nakashima comes into the tournament after breaking into the world's top 20 during 2026.

How does the Laver Cup format work?

The Laver Cup is played across three days and consists of up to 12 matches - nine singles and three doubles.

Each player must compete in at least one singles match during the first two days, while no player can play singles more than twice during the tournament.

At least four of the six players on each team must feature in doubles.

The matches are worth different numbers of points depending on the day:

With 24 points available across the 12 matches, the first team to reach 13 points wins the Laver Cup.

If the teams are tied 12-12 after all 12 scheduled matches, a deciding doubles match is played to determine the champion.

How are Laver Cup players selected?

Six players represent each team, with three receiving automatic qualification based on their ATP singles rankings following the French Open.

The remaining three places are captain's picks. Captains can select those players before the start of the US Open.

Each team can also have a maximum of two alternates.

The captains play an important strategic role during the competition, including selecting daily lineups, preparing players and coaching from the sidelines.

Laver Cup 2026 schedule

The tournament will take place over five sessions across three days at The O2 in London.

Friday and Saturday feature day and evening sessions, while Sunday's programme begins with doubles.

The daily lineup is selected through a different process depending on the day, with teams submitting their choices without initially seeing the opposition's full selection.

Why is the Laver Cup significant?

The tournament provides a rare opportunity for players who normally compete against one another throughout the ATP season to form a team.

The 2026 edition also marks the Laver Cup's return to London, where the competition was previously held in 2022. That edition was particularly memorable as Roger Federer played the final match of his career alongside Rafael Nadal in doubles.

Team World won that edition 13-8, securing its first Laver Cup title.

The tournament has since become an established fixture on the tennis calendar, with the venue alternating between Europe and the rest of the world.

The 2027 edition has already been awarded to Los Angeles, where the event will be held at Intuit Dome from September 24-26.