Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2027 at Foro Italico, April 27 to May 16, 2027

The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027, the Italian Open's 84th edition, are played at Foro Italico in Rome from Tuesday, April 27 to Sunday, May 16, 2027: the venue is the sports complex at Viale dei Gladiatori 31 (Foro Italico, 00135 Rome), at the foot of Monte Mario. The Center Court program starts on Tuesday, May 4 at 11:00 and ends on Sunday, May 16 with the men's singles final at 12:00. By public transit the organizers suggest Metro A to Flaminio, the Roma Nord light rail to the Campi Sportivi stop, bus 168 to the Largo Maresciallo Diaz/De Bosis stop (terminus at Tiburtina station) and bus 32 from Ottaviano to the De Bosis/Stadio Tennis stop. Center Court tickets range from €23 (Distinti, Wednesday, May 5 evening session) to €1,691 (Suite, men's final), plus a 10% presale fee and a service charge. They're sold on the tournament's official ticketing website and on the presale network authorized by the organizers.

I hold one firm belief about the Foro Italico tournament: it's the only major sporting event in the city that you experience the way you'd explore a neighborhood. You go in in the morning, walk among marble statues and pines, move from one court to another, eat standing up, and head back to Center Court for the evening session. If you treat it like a game at the stadium, arrive, sit, leave, you catch half of it. What follows is meant to help you catch the other half.

Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027: dates, venue and format

The official period of the 2027 edition runs from April 27 to May 16, 2027, as stated by Sport e Salute, the public company that owns the facilities, and by the Roma Capitale tourism portal, which also notes that the program may change. It's a span of almost three weeks: the part that interests most of the public, the main draws on Center Court, takes up the 13 days between May 4 and 16.

Who organizes the tournament

The tournament is owned by the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP), which organizes it with Sport e Salute, owner of Foro Italico, and with BNL as main sponsor, hence the official name in use since 2002. The Internazionali are an ATP Masters 1000 for men and a WTA 1000 for women: above them in the calendar are only the four Grand Slam tournaments and the season-ending finals. Since 2011 the men's and women's events have been played on the same days, and since 2023 the format has stretched to 12 days of main draw.

The draw format

The two singles draws have 96 players each, and the doubles 32 pairs each. The top 32 in the ATP rankings and the top 32 in the WTA rankings, along with the top eight pairs, get a first-round bye and start directly in the second. The rest of the draw is filled with wild cards awarded by the federation, players returning from injury with a protected ranking and qualifiers. It's always played on red clay, always best of three sets: the best-of-five men's final was used until 2006.

Pre-qualifying: the longest road in Italian tennis

Some of the wild cards for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 are won through a path the FITP launched back in late April 2026, with provincial tournaments open even to fourth-category players. Provincial, regional and Open tournaments follow, ending in Emilia-Romagna between April 1 and 18, 2027. The final phase is played at Foro Italico, where the winners of the Lazio and Emilia-Romagna tournaments join the top 20 men and top 18 women in the points ranking, and where the wild cards are awarded. It's a uniquely Italian feature: a small provincial club can send one of its members all the way to the courts where the world's best will play the following month.

2026 as a benchmark

The 2026 edition, the 83rd, was played from May 5 to 17. Men's prize money was €8,235,540 and women's €7,228,080, and the men's singles winner took home €1,007,165. World number one Jannik Sinner beat Norway's Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4 in the final, bringing the men's title back to an Italian 50 years after Adriano Panatta. In the women's draw Ukraine's Elina Svitolina won her third Rome title, beating Coco Gauff 6-4 6-7 6-2 in the final. The men's doubles went to Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, the women's to Mirra Andreeva and Diana Šnajder.

The Center Court schedule at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

The Center Court program for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 is already published on the tournament's ticketing website, with sessions and start times: the organizers warn that the number of matches, times and program are indicative. On full days there are two sessions, a morning one and an evening one, with separate tickets.

The first week: Tuesday, May 4 to Monday, May 10

Tuesday, May 4 opens with a single session, at 11:00, devoted to women's singles, also open to Ground ticket holders. From Wednesday, May 5 to Monday, May 10 each day has two sessions, at 11:00 and 19:00, with men's and women's singles matches. These are the early-round days, when the outside courts are full of matches and the morning ticket is better value, because it also opens all the other courts.

Tuesday, May 11 and Wednesday, May 12: the quarterfinals

Tuesday, May 11, sessions at 11:00 and 19:00: men's singles and women's singles quarterfinals. On Wednesday, May 12 the sessions move to 13:00 and 19:00, with quarterfinals in both singles. This is when the tournament changes face: the outside courts empty out and Center Court becomes the only stage that matters.

Thursday, May 13 and Friday, May 14: the semifinals

Thursday, May 13, at 13:00 and 19:00, brings the last men's quarterfinals and the women's singles semifinals. Friday, May 14, at 13:30 and 19:00, it's the turn of the men's singles semifinals and the women's doubles semifinals. The Friday evening session is the most expensive of the week after the final, and the price list makes no bones about it.

Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16: the finals

Saturday, May 15, starting at 12:00, the women's singles final and the men's doubles semifinals. Sunday, May 16, again at 12:00, the men's singles final and both doubles finals. On the closing weekend there's only one session, in the daytime.

Who plays when: the order of play

Nobody can know months in advance on which day and which court a given player will play: the organizers themselves say so clearly. The order of play is published the evening before, after the evening session ends, on the tournament's official website. The time printed on the ticket is indicative, and the length of a tennis match can't be predicted. If you buy a ticket to see a specific player, you're really buying a probability.

Tickets and prices for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

Center Court prices for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 are published on the official ticketing website: they go from €23 for the Distinti on the evening of Wednesday, May 5 to €1,691 for the Suite at the men's final, before the 10% presale fee and the service charge. Prices, the list warns, may change.

How to read the price list

Center Court is divided into 11 sections, from most to least expensive: Suite, Tribuna Foro Italico Club, Italian Open Club, Tribuna TOP, Tribuna, Tribuna Inter. TOP, Tribuna Inter. Premium, Tribuna Inter., Distinti TOP, Distinti Premium and Distinti. The price rises as the tournament progresses and, on two-session days, the evening costs less than the morning, because the evening ticket doesn't give access to the outside courts. A few examples from the official list: on the morning of Wednesday, May 5 the Distinti cost €46 and the Tribuna €97, and that evening €23 and €49. On Saturday morning, May 8, it goes up to €114 for the Distinti and €239 for the Tribuna.

Semifinals and finals

For the evening of the men's semifinals, Friday, May 14, the Distinti cost €185 and the Tribuna €388. The women's final on Saturday, May 15 starts at €104 in the Distinti and reaches €219 in the Tribuna and €386 in the Suite. The men's final on Sunday, May 16 has the tournament's highest prices: €377 for the Distinti, €790 for the Tribuna, €1,203 for the Italian Open Club, €1,691 for the Suite.

Center Court season passes

The season pass gives access to all Center Court sessions and the Ground courts, with no other options. Published prices: €2,000 in the Distinti Premium, €2,175 in Tribuna Inter. Premium, €3,610 in the Tribuna, €4,475 in Tribuna TOP and Italian Open Club, €5,130 in Tribuna Foro Italico Club, and €46,165 for a seven-seat Suite. 2026 pass holders had the right to confirm the same seat between May 25 and July 16, 2026.

Morning or evening: what the ticket includes

The Center Court ticket for the morning session also opens all the outside courts. The evening session ticket is valid only for Center Court: you get in about an hour before the stated time, and only after the morning session ends, otherwise entry is delayed. If you have an evening ticket and want to get in earlier, you need to buy a Ground ticket. The Grand Stand Arena ticket opens the GSA and the outside courts, the SuperTennis Arena ticket the SuperTennis Arena and the outside courts, and the Ground ticket gives access to Stadio Pietrangeli and the outside courts.

The rules that matter

Tickets carry the buyer's name but are bearer tickets, so they can be transferred. The exception is those bought with the FITP member discount, which can be transferred only to other members. They're neither refundable nor exchangeable, and there's no official resale channel. A ticket is good for a single entry: if you leave Foro Italico, you can't get back in. You can enter after a session has started. In case of rain, a refund applies only if, on that day and in that session, no match and no practice is played on the stated court. If play happens later or on another court, no refund is due. Online payment accepts MyBank instant transfer, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, and the printable ticket arrives by email a few minutes after payment.

Benefits for FITP members

The 2027 box office opened on Sunday, May 17, 2026, right after the Sinner vs. Ruud final, with a week of priority for FITP members until May 24. Athletes and Gold members get 20% off tickets and 3% off season passes, and with a SportPay account the discount rises to 30% and 6%. For eSports members the discount is 5%, or 10% with SportPay. Each eligible person can buy one ticket per session, up to two sessions, or one season pass. General sale opened on Monday, May 25, 2026 at 12:00. There are no age-based discounts.

Ticketing support

For orders and purchases made on the official website there's a dedicated phone service, at 02 82900533, open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00. The on-site box offices, during the tournament, open about an hour before the first scheduled match. The official ticketing website is ticketing.internazionalibnlditalia.com, and general information on the tournament is on the official Internazionali BNL d'Italia website and on the Sport e Salute page.

The courts of Foro Italico: Center Court, Grand Stand Arena, Pietrangeli and SuperTennis Arena

The Foro Italico of the Internazionali is a multi-stadium venue: for the 2025 edition the tournament area grew from 12 to 20 hectares and the courts became 21, all outdoor and on red clay, nine for matches and 12 for practice. Two of the practice courts are on the other bank of the Tiber, along Lungotevere della Vittoria.

Center Court

Stadio Centrale del Tennis has 10,580 seats and is the largest tennis venue in Italy. The current stadium, designed by architect Angelo Zampolini, was inaugurated on April 27, 2010 in the presence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, among others. It's built of steel, concrete and glass, with a third of the structure, the first ring, below ground level: from outside it looks lower than it is, and the trick serves precisely not to crush the Foro landscape. The seats are gray in five shades, from slate gray at the bottom to light gray at the top. Inside are a gym, locker rooms, massage rooms and a press room named after Gianni Clerici, a tennis journalist and writer.

Grand Stand Arena

The Grand Stand Arena, the GSA, is the second-largest court, with 6,550 seats, and has been in use since 2012 as a semi-permanent venue. It has its own ticket, which also includes the outside courts. If you want to see top-level tennis for less, in the first week it's often the smartest choice: the 96-player draw puts seeded players on court far from Center Court too.

Stadio Nicola Pietrangeli

The Pietrangeli is the oldest of the Foro Italico tennis stadiums: opened in 1934, it has 3,720 seats and a shape with no equal on the tour. The Carrara marble stands start at the park's ground level and descend toward the court, which sits sunken as if in a bowl, and around it, at the top of the stands, are 18 marble statues of athletes. It's the court you reach with the Ground ticket, and to me the most beautiful on the tour.

SuperTennis Arena at Stadio dei Marmi

Since 2025 part of the tournament has moved inside Stadio dei Marmi Pietro Mennea, where the SuperTennis Arena was set up, a temporary stadium of about 3,000 seats, along with two more courts of about 800 seats each. It's the third main court, unnumbered, with its own ticket that includes the outside courts. Playing tennis surrounded by the marble statues of the stadium opened in 1932 is an image no other Masters 1000 can offer.

The outside courts and the Circolo del Tennis

The numbered match and practice courts are spread among the Circolo del Tennis del Foro Italico, the Pietrangeli, Center Court and the Casa delle Armi. It's here, in the first week, that you see players from two meters away, and practice sessions become a show of their own.

A curious fact about the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 at Foro Italico, April 27 to May 16, 2027

The tournament that today identifies Rome on the world tennis calendar wasn't born in Rome. The first edition, in 1930, was played in Milan, at the Tennis Club that now bears the name of Alberto Bonacossa, and the first five editions were held there. In 1930 the first women's singles winner was Spain's Lilí de Álvarez, who beat Italy's Lucia Valerio 3-6 8-6 6-0 in the final. Valerio took her revenge the following year and remained for years Italy's leading female player, losing other finals to champions like Helen Jacobs and Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling.

The move to Rome came in 1935, to the complex then called Foro Mussolini, opened three years earlier. The court that hosted that tournament was the stadium designed by Costantino Costantini and opened in 1934 with a Davis Cup tie between Italy and Switzerland: it was then called Olimpico della racchetta, later stadio della Pallacorda, and since 2006 it has borne the name of Nicola Pietrangeli. Right after, the tournament stopped: from 1936 to 1949 it wasn't played. It resumed in 1950 and has stayed at Foro Italico ever since, with two exceptions. In 1961, for the centenary of Italian unification, the whole tournament moved to Turin, the first capital of the Kingdom. And in 1984 and 1985 only the women's event was played away from Rome, first at Junior Tennis in Perugia and then at Italsider in Taranto.

There's a detail linking the dates: today's Center Court was inaugurated on April 27, 2010, and April 27 is also the first day of the 2027 calendar. A coincidence, of course. But Foro Italico is a place where coincidences pile up, and those who have worked there for years end up noticing them.

The history of the Italian Open, from the amateurs to the Sinner era

The Internazionali d'Italia became a professional tournament with the 1969 edition. Before that it was an amateur event, and the roll of honor shows it with names from another era of tennis.

The amateur years

In the 1950s Czechoslovakia's Jaroslav Drobný won in Rome three times, along with Australia's Lew Hoad. In 1955 the final was all Italian, between Fausto Gardini and Giuseppe Merlo, and Gardini won when his opponent retired. In 1957 Nicola Pietrangeli beat Merlo in another Italian final, and in 1961 he won again. In 1962 the title went to Rod Laver, who completed the Grand Slam that year. Among the women, Rome saw Maureen Connolly in 1954 and African American Althea Gibson in 1956, then Brazil's Maria Bueno and Australia's Margaret Smith, with three consecutive titles from 1961 to 1963.

The 1970s and 1980s

In 1970 Ilie Năstase won, in 1971 Laver again, in 1972 Manuel Orantes: all three beat Czechoslovakia's Jan Kodeš in the final. In 1976 the title went to Adriano Panatta, the last Italian to win the men's singles before Sinner. Björn Borg won twice, in 1974 and 1978, Vitas Gerulaitis in 1977 and 1979, Ivan Lendl in 1986 and 1988. On the women's side, Chris Evert won five times between 1974 and 1982, a record still unbeaten, Steffi Graf won in 1987, and Gabriela Sabatini took four titles between 1988 and 1992.

The clay specialists and the Sampras exception

The 1990s were the decade of clay court players: Thomas Muster with three titles, Jim Courier, Àlex Corretja, Marcelo Ríos, Gustavo Kuerten. The only exception was Pete Sampras, who won in 1994 by beating Boris Becker in the final. Among the women, Spain's Conchita Martínez won four times in a row, from 1993 to 1996, another record.

The Nadal and Đoković era

From 2005 to 2021 Rome was above all the city of Rafael Nadal, with 10 titles, and Novak Đoković, with six. Nadal won for the first time in 2005, beating Guillermo Coria in what remains the longest match in the tournament's history, decided in a fifth-set tiebreak. The following year he beat Roger Federer in five sets, saving two match points. In 2021 Nadal reached his 10th title by beating Đoković himself. Since 2007 the men's final has been best of three sets. Then came Daniil Medvedev in 2023, Alexander Zverev in 2024, for his second title after 2017, and Carlos Alcaraz in 2025.

Italian women and men in recent years

In 2025 Jasmine Paolini won the women's singles, beating Coco Gauff 6-4 6-2, 40 years after Raffaella Reggi, and that same year she also won the doubles with Sara Errani, repeating their 2024 title. In 2026 Jannik Sinner, as world number one, won the men's singles after losing the previous year's final, and Bolelli and Vavassori won the men's doubles. The 2027 edition thus opens with two Italian defending champions.

Something nobody tells you about the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 at Foro Italico, April 27 to May 16, 2027

The most interesting ticket of the tournament isn't the one for the final. It's the morning ticket on a weekday in the first week. The official price list proves it: on the morning of Wednesday, May 5 the Center Court Distinti cost €46, and that ticket also gets you into all the outside courts, where play goes on all day. On Saturday, May 8 the same Distinti cost €114, and on the Sunday of the final €377. Tennis seen on weekdays in the first week, with a 96-player draw, is often the best of the tournament: more matches, more variety, top players on courts with a few hundred seats.

The second thing the guides don't tell you: the order of play comes out the evening before, and it changes your day. If you check the program on the official website after the evening session ends, you already know where to go the next morning, which court to grab first and which match to pick mid-afternoon. If you arrive without having read it, you spend the first hour figuring things out.

Third: you can't leave Foro Italico and come back in. The ticket is good for a single entry, and if you go out for lunch at a place on Piazza Mancini or for a stroll on the Lungotevere, you won't get back in on the same ticket. You can leave one court for another, not the complex. That's why the day has to be organized inside: water, sun protection, something to eat between matches.

Fourth, for evening buyers: the evening ticket doesn't open Foro Italico until the morning session ends. If a morning match runs long, evening entry is delayed. Keep it in mind if you're in a hurry for dinner or have a train to catch.

How to get to the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 at Foro Italico

Foro Italico can be reached by public transit in four ways suggested by the organizers: Metro A to Flaminio, the Roma Nord light rail to Campi Sportivi, bus 168 to Largo Maresciallo Diaz/De Bosis, bus 32 from Ottaviano to De Bosis/Stadio Tennis. On tournament days the car is the worst option.

By Metro A

Sport e Salute lists Flaminio, on Piazzale Flaminio next to Piazza del Popolo, as the Metro A stop. From there to Foro Italico you continue above ground heading north, along Via Flaminia, to Piazza Mancini and Ponte Duca d'Aosta, which leads straight to the Foro's monumental entrance. The official ticketing guide also suggests another route: Metro A to Ottaviano, Via Barletta exit, and from there a bus.

By bus 32 from Ottaviano

From the Ottaviano stop on Metro A, Via Barletta exit, take bus 32 toward Stazione Saxa Rubra and get off at the De Bosis/Stadio Tennis stop. It's the route the tournament box office suggests if you're coming from Termini, Tiburtina or the airports.

By bus 168 from Tiburtina

Bus 168 leaves from the terminus at Tiburtina station and arrives at Largo Maresciallo Diaz. The stop you want is Largo Maresciallo Diaz/De Bosis, a few steps from the Foro Italico entrance. If you're staying in the eastern neighborhoods or arriving by high-speed train at Tiburtina, it's the direct line.

By the Roma Nord light rail

The Roma Nord railway has a stop called Campi Sportivi: it's the one the organizers suggest for Foro Italico. Then you cross the Tiber on foot.

From the stations and airports

From Termini: Metro A toward Battistini to Ottaviano, Via Barletta exit, then bus 32 to De Bosis/Stadio Tennis. From Tiburtina: Metro B toward Laurentina to Termini and then the same route, or the direct bus 168. From Fiumicino take the trains to Termini or Tiburtina, and from Ciampino the buses to Termini outside arrivals, then Metro A and bus 32.

By car

From the Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road, take exit 6, Flaminia, and follow signs for the stadium and Foro Italico. During the tournament the area is congested and parking is scarce: I recommend the car only if you have a guaranteed spot, and to nobody else.

My tip for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 at Foro Italico, April 27 to May 16, 2027

My tip is clear: buy a weekday morning between Wednesday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 11, go in as soon as the gates open, about an hour before the 11:00 start, and don't sit down at Center Court right away. The morning ticket opens all the outside courts for you, and the first hour should be spent there: practice sessions, the first matches on the small courts, the chance to see a top-10 player a few meters away. Head to Center Court when the match you really care about starts, and the order of play published the evening before tells you which one it is.

Second point: don't chase a name. The organizers say it plainly: you can't know in advance who will play, on what day and on which court. If you buy a specific day's session hoping to see Sinner or Svitolina, you're betting, and sometimes you lose. If you go for the tournament, you always win, because in the first week top-level tennis is played on nine courts from morning to night.

Third: if you want Center Court at night, buy it as a second ticket, not your only one. The evening session has a charm all its own, with the lights on beneath Monte Mario and the Tiber close by, but on its own it isn't enough to tell the story of the tournament. A morning and an evening on two different days are worth more than two evenings.

Fourth: check the weather the day before and bring what you need. A rain refund applies only if, in that session and on that court, no match and no practice is played. A day that's interrupted and then resumes isn't refunded. In May, a light raincoat in your bag is never dead weight.

Finally, if you're coming to Rome with a group or with clients: before buying 20 tickets for the final, consider two mornings in the first week. They cost a fraction, you see more tennis and you experience Foro Italico the way it should be experienced.

How to plan your day at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

A day at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 starts about an hour before the first match, when the gates and box offices open, and with the morning ticket it can last into the evening on the outside courts.

The morning

Arriving early means choosing your seat on the unnumbered courts, watching practice and getting your bearings before the crowds. Foro Italico is big, now 20 hectares of park, stadiums and courts, and getting from the Pietrangeli to the SuperTennis Arena at Stadio dei Marmi takes a few minutes on foot. A map of the complex, checked on the official website before you leave, saves time.

The afternoon

This is when the outside courts fill up and Center Court gets going. If you have a morning Center Court ticket, you have a fixed seat on the main court and the freedom to move elsewhere: use it, alternating between the two. Remember you can't leave the complex and come back on the same ticket.

The evening

The Center Court evening session starts at 19:00 on two-session days, and you get in about an hour before, after the morning session ends. This is when the crowd changes: more Romans, more people just out of the office, more of a night-out atmosphere. When the match ends you'll find the neighborhood packed, so allow plenty of time for the ride home on public transit.

What to bring

A hat and sunscreen, because all the courts are outdoor, a bottle of water, a light raincoat and comfortable shoes for the walking. Tickets arrive by email: better to have them downloaded on your phone before you arrive, and check your spam folder if you can't find them.

If it rains

Clay isn't played in the rain, and matches stop. The refund rule is strict: only if nothing is played in the stated session and on the stated court. Times can change for technical or weather reasons, and in that case there are no refunds. If you only have one day, choose a weekday in the first week if you can, when the schedule has more slack.

Another well-known fact, yet one rarely mentioned

Everyone knows Foro Italico was built under Fascism. Few remember that the stadium where the Pietrangeli is now played was designed as part of an overall urban plan, by architect Enrico Del Debbio, and follows its logic down to the detail. The top of the stands is level with the park: the stadium doesn't rise, it descends. The court is sunken, and if you arrive from the avenues you see the statues first and then, looking over, the red clay. The 18 statues of athletes surrounding the stadium are by Eugenio Baroni, with a single exception, the pallone col bracciale player, carved in 1942 by Domenico Ponzi.

Even less known: the Pietrangeli was the tournament's main court for decades, until the mid-1990s, and became so again for two editions, in 2008 and 2009. In 2008 the old glulam Center Court was dismantled at the request of the ATP, which demanded a modern venue or the tournament would be downgraded, and for two years the Pietrangeli was expanded to 9,500 seats with temporary stands.

And again: the old Center Court had been built in just three and a half months, with the lower part in concrete for about 4,000 spectators and the upper part in glulam for another 6,000, and was inaugurated on May 6, 1996 with the start of the women's event, in the presence of mayor Francesco Rutelli, CONI president Mario Pescante and Italian Tennis Federation president Paolo Galgani. In 2008 the new city government halted work on the new stadium for a few months, judging it too intrusive. The design was revised in glass and steel, and Center Court was only ready in 2010.

One last detail: in 2025, with the expansion of the complex, two street-level stands were built on the sides of the Pietrangeli, and the choice stirred debate among those who love that court as it was.

Foro Italico: the venue of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

Foro Italico is a sports complex at the foot of Monte Mario, designed by Enrico Del Debbio between 1927 and 1933 and completed after the war between 1956 and 1968. It was inaugurated on November 4, 1932 under the name Foro Mussolini.

A drained marsh and a green backdrop

To build it, three sites were rejected, including the area that later became the Città universitaria and the Parioli area, and a marshy area along the Tiber was chosen and drained for the occasion. The hill of Monte Mario, which serves as a green backdrop to the whole complex, was protected by the Fine Arts Superintendency. That's why, even today, from Center Court your gaze rises to a wooded slope and not to buildings.

The obelisk and the mosaic avenue

The main entrance is to the southeast, aligned with Ponte Duca d'Aosta. In front opens an avenue entirely paved in black and white mosaic tiles, once Piazzale dell'Impero and now Viale del Foro Italico, and an obelisk of Carrara marble rises 17.5 meters without its base, still bearing the inscriptions dedicated to Mussolini. The debate over its fate reopens periodically: in 2015 the proposal to remove the inscriptions went nowhere, and in 2026 historian Hannes Obermair proposed recontextualizing the complex on the model of what was done in Bolzano. Tennis fans walk past it without thinking. It's worth stopping for a minute to look at it instead.

Stadio dei Marmi

Inaugurated together with Palazzo H and the stadio dei Cipressi, now Stadio Olimpico, Stadio dei Marmi is ringed by statues of athletes. The complex's statues, each devoted to a different sport, were donated by the Italian provinces and are the work of different sculptors. Since 2025 it has hosted the SuperTennis Arena: putting a temporary tennis court inside a 1932 monument is the boldest choice the tournament has made in recent years.

The buildings

Palazzo H, by Del Debbio, housed the Fascist Academy of Physical Education and has been CONI headquarters since 1951. Palazzo delle Terme, by Costantini, includes the indoor pools, the Rai Auditorium of Foro Italico and the University of Rome Foro Italico, and the Fencing Academy is by Luigi Moretti. In August 1943 CONI renamed the complex Foro Italico.

The Walk of Fame

On May 7, 2015 the Walk of Fame of Italian sport was inaugurated on Viale delle Olimpiadi, with 100 plaques honoring great Italian athletes chosen by CONI's athletes' commission. It's on the route of anyone entering the tournament from that side: look for the tennis names.

For the history of the complex as a whole, see our page on Foro Italico, and for the nearby stadium our page on Stadio Olimpico.

The right photo to take at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 at Foro Italico, April 27 to May 16, 2027

The right photo isn't taken inside Center Court, where everyone takes the same one. It's taken from the top edge of the Pietrangeli: standing between two of the marble statues, with the red clay court below, sunken in the white stands, and if possible two players mid-rally. It's the only frame in the world where professional tennis lives alongside 1930s statuary, and the contrast between the white marble and the red court is the tournament's most honest postcard. Best in the morning, when the light comes in from the side and the statues' shadows stretch across the court.

The second photo is at Stadio dei Marmi, home since 2025 to the SuperTennis Arena: the statues of athletes crowning the stands, the court's temporary structure, and the green of Monte Mario behind. If you have a wide-angle lens, use it here.

The third is outside, at the entrance: the black and white mosaic avenue with the obelisk in the background and the crowd flowing in. It's a photo that tells the story of the place more than the tournament, and that's exactly why it stays longer in your memory. In the evening, on the way out, the lit Center Court seen from Viale delle Olimpiadi closes the sequence.

A practical warning: during play, on the small courts, silence is required and flash is out of place. Take photos between points, at changeovers, without standing up in the middle of a rally.

Accessibility and reserved seats at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027, spectators with a disability rated at 74% or higher, or with a certified severe handicap, can buy tickets at a discount of about 50%, while reserved seats last. The dedicated sale has been open since May 25, 2026.

How buying works

Reserved seats are limited for each session. Each person with a disability can buy one ticket for themselves and one for a companion, and for the 2027 edition the two tickets must be bought together, not separately. To reach more people, each person can buy at most two different sessions. Purchase is online only, on the official ticketing website, with registration in the name of the person with a disability, or of the legal guardian for those under 18. On the ticket the letter D follows the seat number of the person with a disability, and the letter A that of the companion. The discount can't be combined with other promotions, and a profile already linked to an FITP membership can't buy these tickets: a new registration without membership is needed.

Sections and entry

At Center Court the reserved sections are in the Italian Open Club, north and south sides. On the day of the event the buyer must be able to show the documentation certifying the disability, at the entrance and whenever requested, and the companion must enter together with the person they're accompanying. My practical advice is to arrive well ahead of time, because the routes inside Foro Italico are long and, at peak times, crowded.

Animals

Animals aren't allowed in Foro Italico, except guide dogs and other certified assistance animals.

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 with kids

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027, children get into the main courts free without a ticket only up to their first birthday, while on the Ground entry is free up to age six. There are no age-based discounts.

At Center Court, Grand Stand Arena and SuperTennis Arena, a full-price ticket is required after the first birthday. With the Ground ticket, which opens the Pietrangeli and the outside courts, children up to age six get in free. Minors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult, both to enter the complex and to access the main courts, and both the minor and the adult must have a valid ticket.

For a small child the Ground is the right option. Center Court demands silence and stillness for hours, which at age six is torture. The outside courts, on the other hand, let you move around, see the players up close and switch matches when patience runs out. And if your child plays tennis, the practice sessions on the numbered courts are worth as much as a match: players repeat their shots, stop, talk with their coach, and it's all visible from a few meters away.

A practical note: the May sun on the outdoor courts is strong, and shady spots are few. A hat, water and breaks in the shade of the park's pines are worth more than any schedule.

Some important events that happened here in history

On November 4, 1932 the first works of Foro Mussolini were inaugurated: Palazzo H, the obelisk, Stadio dei Marmi and the stadio dei Cipressi, today's Olimpico. In 1934 the stadio della Pallacorda, today the Pietrangeli, opened with the Davis Cup tie between Italy and Switzerland, and the following year it hosted the Internazionali d'Italia for the first time. In August 1943, right after Mussolini's fall, CONI renamed the complex Foro Italico.

From September 24 to 26, 1948 the stadio della Pallacorda hosted an event that had nothing to do with tennis: the men's European volleyball championship, with Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal, won by Czechoslovakia. From July 8 to 10, 1949 the Davis Cup returned, with Italy beating Yugoslavia 4-1, and from then until 2005 the stadium hosted every Davis Cup tie Italy played in Rome. In 1950 the tournament resumed after a 15-year break.

In 1960 Foro Italico was a venue of the Games of the XVII Olympiad. In the following decades it hosted, among other events, two European football championships, the 1987 World Athletics Championships, the 1990 World Cup, the 1994 and 2009 World Aquatics Championships and the 2024 European Athletics Championships. On May 6, 1996 the first Center Court was inaugurated, and on April 27, 2010 the current one.

Center Court has also had a life beyond tennis: the beach volleyball world championships in 2011 and 2022, two volleyball World League matches, with Italy beating Poland in 2014 and Brazil in 2015, and on September 9, 2018 the opening match of the men's volleyball world championship, with Italy beating Japan 3-0 in front of President Sergio Mattarella. In August 2022, for the European Aquatics Championships, a temporary 30 by 20 meter pool, 3 meters deep, was set up inside the Pietrangeli for artistic swimming. In 2020 the tournament, canceled in spring because of the pandemic, was rescheduled for September.

Who has passed through the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 at Foro Italico, April 27 to May 16, 2027

Almost every name that matters in tennis history has passed across the red clay of Foro Italico. Rod Laver won in Rome in 1962, the year of his first Grand Slam, and again in 1971. Björn Borg won in 1974 and 1978, Ivan Lendl in 1986 and 1988, Pete Sampras in 1994, Andre Agassi in the early 2000s. Rafael Nadal won 10 times, Novak Đoković six. Roger Federer lost two finals here, in 2006 to Nadal and in 2015 to Đoković, and on April 27, 2010 he was, with Nadal, at the opening ceremony of the new Center Court. Among the women, Maureen Connolly in 1954, Althea Gibson in 1956, Billie Jean King in 1970, Chris Evert five times, Martina Navrátilová a finalist in 1974, Steffi Graf in 1987, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, a winner several times, Maria Sharapova three times and Iga Świątek three.

Italians have written their own pages here: Nicola Pietrangeli, with two titles and now the name of the oldest stadium, Adriano Panatta in 1976, Raffaella Reggi, the last Italian woman to win before Jasmine Paolini, Sara Errani, a finalist against Serena Williams in 2014 and later a two-time doubles winner with Paolini, and Jannik Sinner in 2026.

Center Court has also welcomed music. Mark Knopfler played here in 2001, Oasis in 2002 for two dates, Giorgia and Coldplay in 2003, Leonard Cohen in 2012, Carlos Santana in 2013, Elisa in 2017 with a benefit concert, Claudio Baglioni in 2023. And on September 9, 2018, for volleyball, President Sergio Mattarella was in the stands. At the opening of the first Center Court, in 1996, came mayor Francesco Rutelli, CONI president Mario Pescante and federation president Paolo Galgani, and at the 2010 one CONI president Gianni Petrucci and provincial president Nicola Zingaretti.

Around Foro Italico: what to see before and after the tournament

Foro Italico is in the north of Rome, between the Tiber and Monte Mario, in an area that combines sport, parks and 20th-century architecture: with half a day free, tennis and a walk around the neighborhood go well together.

Milvian Bridge

Just upstream from the Foro, along the Tiber, you reach Milvian Bridge, the ancient bridge that gives its name to the square and the surrounding neighborhood, with its bars and its nightlife. It's the natural destination after the morning session, or before the evening one.

Monte Mario

The hill that forms Center Court's backdrop is a protected green area: the Riserva di Monte Mario offers trails and viewpoints over the city, and the Monte Mario Observatory is also on the hill. A climb early in the morning, before heading into the tournament, shows you Foro Italico from above and makes Del Debbio's design clearer than any plan.

The Flaminio neighborhood: MAXXI and Auditorium

On the other bank, along Via Flaminia, the Flaminio neighborhood brings together two pieces of contemporary architecture: MAXXI, the national museum of 21st-century arts, and the Auditorium Parco della Musica. If you arrive by metro at Flaminio they're on your way, and a day of tennis plus a museum is a combination I often recommend to couples.

Prati and Villa Borghese

If you take bus 32 from Ottaviano you cross Prati, the late 19th-century neighborhood between the Vatican and the Tiber: for a walk there's our guide to Prati and Borgo. To the south, beyond Piazzale Flaminio, Villa Borghese is home to Piazza di Siena, the city's other great outdoor sports stage, also among Sport e Salute's events.

Where to eat during the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 you mostly eat inside Foro Italico, because the ticket doesn't allow you to leave and come back: if you leave the complex for lunch, you lose access to the session.

Inside the complex there are food stands spread among the courts, and Center Court has its own bars. Eat at off-peak times, mid-morning or early afternoon, avoiding the break between the end of a big Center Court match and the start of the next, when lines get long. If you have special dietary needs or small children, checking the entry rules on food and drinks on the official website in advance is a precaution that avoids arguments at the gates.

Outside, before or after, there's no shortage of choice. Around Piazza Mancini and Ponte Milvio there are pizzerias, trattorias and aperitivo spots, frequented mostly by Romans from the north of the city. Along Viale Mazzini and in the Della Vittoria neighborhood, quieter neighborhood bars and restaurants prevail. Prati, reachable by the 32, has the widest selection. If you have an evening ticket you'll eat after the match: on tournament days, booking ahead at Ponte Milvio is wise.

May in Rome: the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 season

The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 fall between late April and mid-May, one of the most pleasant times of year in Rome, with long days and mild temperatures but the occasional spring shower.

May is also the month when the city fills up: school trips, organized groups, travelers taking advantage of the long days. If you're coming from out of town for the tournament, book your accommodation early and consider the north of the city, between Flaminio, Prati and Della Vittoria, to cut down on travel. May 1, which falls on a Saturday in 2027, is within the early phase of the calendar, before the main draws on Center Court.

For tennis, it's the right season: the Rome tournament is one of the great spring events on clay. You see top-level tennis on a slow surface, built on long rallies, which with the engaged, noisy Roman crowd becomes theater.

Frequently asked questions about the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027

When are the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 played?

The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 are played at Foro Italico in Rome from April 27 to May 16, 2027. The Center Court program runs from Tuesday, May 4, with a session at 11:00, to Sunday, May 16, the day of the men's singles final at 12:00. The women's final is on Saturday, May 15 at 12:00. The organizers warn that times and program are indicative.

How much are tickets for the 2027 Italian Open in Rome?

Center Court tickets for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 range from €23, Distinti on the evening of Wednesday, May 5, to €1,691, Suite at the men's final, plus the 10% presale fee and the service charge. For the men's final the Distinti cost €377 and the Tribuna €790. Prices may change.

Where can I buy tickets?

Tickets for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 are sold on the tournament's official ticketing website and on the presale network authorized by the organizers. During the tournament the box offices at Foro Italico also open, about an hour before the first match. Tickets aren't name-restricted and can be transferred, but they aren't refundable and there's no official resale channel.

How do you get to Foro Italico for the tennis?

Foro Italico is reached by Metro A to Flaminio, by the Roma Nord light rail to Campi Sportivi, by bus 168 from Tiburtina to Largo Maresciallo Diaz/De Bosis, or by Metro A to Ottaviano and then bus 32 to De Bosis/Stadio Tennis. By car, take exit 6 Flaminia off the ring road, but traffic is heavy on tournament days.

Does the Center Court ticket also cover the other courts?

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 the morning session Center Court ticket also gives access to all the outside courts, while the evening session ticket is valid only for Center Court. The Ground ticket opens Stadio Pietrangeli and the outside courts, and the Grand Stand Arena and SuperTennis Arena tickets their respective stadiums plus the outside courts.

Can you know in advance when Sinner plays?

No: the organizers of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia state that it's impossible to predict who will play, on what day and on which court. The order of play is published the evening before, after the evening session ends, on the tournament's official website. Even the time printed on the ticket is indicative.

Do children need a ticket at the Internazionali?

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2027 children get into the main courts free only up to their first birthday, and on the Ground up to age six. After that a full-price ticket is needed, because there are no age discounts. Minors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket.

What happens if it rains?

At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia the ticket is refunded only if, on the stated day, session and court, no match and no practice is played. If matches are played later or on another court, even for weather reasons, no refund is due. In May, a light raincoat always comes in handy.

In closing

My advice, for everyone, is always the same: go to the Internazionali for the place before the match. Choose a weekday morning in the first week, go in early, wander between the Pietrangeli and Stadio dei Marmi, and let the draw pick the best match for you. You'll see the final anyway, on TV or in a bar at Ponte Milvio, but Foro Italico with 96 players scattered among statues and pines you can only see there.

Article written by the editorial team of Tour Leader Pro, contact them for Private/Corporate/V.I.P. Tours and Experiences.

Planning a trip to Rome? The English-language guides for visiting the city are on ItalyPlanner.com.