Billie Jean King Cup

What is the Billie Jean King Cup?

The Billie Jean King Cup is the women's national-team world championship of tennis — the women's counterpart of the Davis Cup, contested since 1963 and described by the ITF as the world's largest annual international team competition in women's sport.^[1] [2]

Who organizes it?

The ITF owns and runs the competition; national associations enter teams and select players, as in the Davis Cup.^[1]

When and where is it held?

Qualifying ties run through the season toward a Finals week — hosted by Shenzhen, China from 2025 through 2027; Italy defeated the United States there for the 2025 title.^[3] [4]

Founded as the Federation Cup (later Fed Cup); renamed for Billie Jean King in 2020.^[2]

Since when does it exist?

Launched in 1963 to mark the ITF's 50th anniversary, with the United States its first champion; in 2020 it became the first major global team competition named for a woman.^[2]

How do teams and players qualify?

Open to all ITF nations through zonal groups and qualifying rounds up to the Finals; players are selected by their national associations, making a Billie Jean King Cup nomination the definitive national-team credential in women's tennis.^[1] [2]

Why does it matter?

National-team selection and titles at the sport's world team championship carry weight beyond ranking points — the Cup's history runs through every great generation of the women's game, and its 2020 renaming honored the player who founded the WTA.^[2] [4]

Who competes?

National teams from over a hundred entering nations each year, with the world's leading players representing their countries at the Finals in Shenzhen.^[1] [4]