London, Tuesday 9th June 2026: Today, The All England Lawn Tennis Club unveils its highly anticipated 2026 campaign ahead of the 139th staging of The Championships, Wimbledon.
Created in partnership with lead creative agency VCCP, ‘Where beauty meets the battle’ marks the second instalment of the global brand platform ‘There Is Only One Wimbledon’, which launched last year. The integrated campaign reinforces the unique appeal of Wimbledon – an unparalleled experience where timeless heritage and beauty collides with the athletic excellence of the players as they battle to secure the ultimate prize at The Championships Wimbledon.
At the heart of the campaign is a cinematic 60” hero film, directed by Sanjay de Silva through production company Division Global, with support from VCCP’s global content studio Girl&Bear. Created by Alice Goodrich and Katy Stanage, the film captures the essence of the event from the perspective of a Holly Blue butterfly, with the peaceful elegance of ‘tennis in an English garden’ shattered by the dynamic shots on court as players push themselves to their limits to secure victory.
Butterflies are frequent visitors to the Wimbledon courts and an anecdote from former French tennis player Henri Leconte provided the inspiration for the campaign*. Playing at Wimbledon in 1986 he commented: “I played very well and then something wonderful happened. I was shaping up to serve and this beautiful white butterfly landed at my feet. Usually, most people would stamp on it to get on with things, but I picked it up and it stayed on my racket, I walked it over to the crowd and it flew into the stands. The people went nuts!”
Usama Al-Qassab, Marketing and Commercial Director at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, said: “Creating this second instalment of ‘There Is Only One Wimbledon’ gave us the opportunity to celebrate what makes Wimbledon truly unique. Revered around the world not only for the pinnacle of performance, alongside excellence and tradition, but also for the exhilarating emotion and intensity that can only be brought by the world’s best players in full flight. Our 2026 film tells that story beautifully to our fans all around the world. A legacy of tennis gladiators, battling for victory, in the ultimate arena of Centre Court and all its beauty.”
Amid an exciting summer of sport, the campaign reinforces Wimbledon’s status as the finest stage in tennis and one of the most iconic events spectators and players can experience.
Darren Bailes, Global Chief Creative Officer at VCCP added: “There is only one Wimbledon. A truth and an endline. Tennis in an English garden. Nothing like it. Our second global trailer references the garden in which Wimbledon is played and the fauna within. Butterflies are often captured on film or stills on court. But the risk to their existence is real. This film tells the story of a butterfly in harm’s way on Centre Court. Forehands, backhands and big serves put our unsuspecting butterfly in danger.”
Annabel Croft, the voice of the 2026 Campaign, said: “Wimbledon is truly one of a kind. There is nothing quite like the contrast of the sport at its most intense, played out amid such extraordinary beauty – it really is tennis in an English garden.“
On starring in the trailer, world No.2 and 34-time Grand Slam champion, Alfie Hewett, commented: “Wimbledon is a very special place. Within the amazing grounds is a desire to win like nowhere else. It’s wonderful to be part of the campaign ahead of this year’s Championships particularly in this significant milestone year as wheelchair tennis marks its 50th anniversary.”
The integrated campaign spans TV and social, extending into striking local OOH executions that further celebrate the duality of Wimbledon. Running from 8 June, ‘Where beauty meets the battle’ will roll out across global markets and broadcast channels including the BBC (UK), ESPN (North America and LATAM), Eurosport (Europe), Sky-Italia, Amazon Prime (Germany), Movistar (Spain), beIN (France & MENA), Jio Star (India), Channel Nine (Australia), NHK & WOWOW (Japan), CCTV & Tencent (China), and SuperSport (South Africa).
The Championships, Wimbledon 2026 will take place from 29 June to 12 July.
