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The United Cup Is Swinging Into RAC Arena In Jan 2026: Here’s How To Get There and What To Expect

17th Dec 2025
Written by:
Eliana Hullett
Contributor | Urban List Perth

The Major tennis tournaments are always fabulous to watch when they come around, but an international mixed comp played round-robin style is a chaotic kind of brilliance that simply can't be beaten. As summer sport sweats its way back into our calendars for 2026, the fourth edition of The United Cup is leading the charge, heralding our Australian summer with style.

The United Cup 2026 will see 18 countries put forth their tennis superstars to compete in men's singles, women's singles, and mixed doubles matches across six pools, with nine teams playing in Perth and nine in Sydney. Australia will be repped by tennis icons Maya Joint and Alex De Minaur, and they're up against some tennis royalty including four-time Grand Slam champ Naomi Osaka and current world number six Taylor Fritz.

Perth's initial Group Stage will run from 2 January to 6 January, and the winners will progress to the Quarter Final on 7 January. Whoever wins that will fly over to Sydney to compete in the Semi Finals and Grand Final over 10 and 11 January for ultimate bragging rights.

Tickets are still available here, and regardless of the outcome (Aussie victory pending!), you can guarantee it's going to be totally ace.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan your time at RAC Arena.  

Jump to:

What's Perth's Game Schedule Looking Like?

The United Cup games schedule is jam packed, but we've broken it down to make sure you don't miss a trick over the chaotic six days at RAC Arena. 

Friday 2 January: Group A

  • Spain V Argentina at 10am
  • Jaume Munar v Sebastian Baez
  • Jessica Bouzas Maneiro v Solana Sierra
  • Mixed Doubles

Friday 2 January: Group E

  • Greece V Japan at 5pm
  • Maria Sakkari v Naomi Osaka
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas v Shintaro Mochizuki
  • Mixed Doubles

Saturday 3 January: Group C

  • France v Switzerland at 10am
  • Lois Boissin v Belinda Bencic
  • Arthurt Rinderknech v Stan Wawrinka
  • Mixed Doubles

Saturday 3 January: Group A

  • USA v Argentina at 5pm
  • Taylor Fritz v Sebastian Baez
  • Coco Gauff v Solana Sierra
  • Mixed Doubles

Sunday 4 January: Group E

  • Great Britain v Japan at 10am
  • Jack Draper v Shintaro Mochizuki
  • Emma Raducanu v Naomi Osaka
  • Mixed Doubles

Sunday 4 January: Group C

  • Italy v Switzerland at 5pm
  • Jasmine Paolini v Belinda Bencic
  • Flavio Cobolli v Stan Wawrinka
  • Mixed Doubles

Monday 5 January: Group A

  • USA v Spain at 10am
  • Coco Gauff v Jassica Bouzas Maneiro
  • Taylor Fritz v Jaume Munar
  • Mixed Doubles

Monday 5 January: Group E

  • Great Britain v Greece at 5pm
  • Jack Draper v Stefanos Tsitsipas
  • Emma Raducanu v Maria Sakkari
  • Mixed Doubles

Tuesday 6 January: Group C

  • Italy v France at 10am
  • Flavio Cobolli v Arthur Rinderknech
  • Jasmine Paolini v Lois Boisson
  • Mixed Doubles

Wednesday 7 January: Quarter Final 1

Winner Group A v Best Runner Up at 10am

Wednesday 7 January: Quarter Final 2

Winner Group C v Winner Group E at 5pm

You can check out the full schedule for Perth and Sydney here, as Australia will be competing in the Group D pool in Sydney. 


Image Credit: United Cup | Instagram

How Do I Get To RAC Arena?

Public transport is your friend when heading to events at RAC Arena, especially if there’s a Transperth logo on your ticket (because this means PT is free 3 hours before or after your event!).

If you’re catching the train, you’ll need to disembark at Perth Underground Station. You can then take an easy 10-minute walk down Wellington Street to reach RAC Arena, which is pretty impossible to miss.

If you’re bussing, there are different options depending on where you’re coming from and what day it is. You’ll probably have to change buses a few times, and you’ll end up at a bus port that will likely also be a 10-to-15-minute walk.

You can plan your journey with Transperth here. 

You can also drive if you’re willing to brave the traffic and the carpark.

Can I Park At RAC Arena?

The short answer is yes! RAC has a carpark accessible from Market Street or Milligan Street, and parking there during an event will cost a flat rate of $30 from 4pm to midnight, with the carpark open from 5:30am to midnight Monday to Thursday, and open 24 hours Friday to Sunday.

There are also 14 ACROD bays available, with the first set located near the Milligan Street entrance, and the second set towards the back near the Suite Holders and Mobility Entry.

Some things to keep in mind if you’re using the carpark:

  • It’s totally cashless, so EFT payments only
  • Carpark clearance height is 2.3m
  • Lost tickets incur a $60 fee
  • Overlapping rates will apply if parked outside of set times

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What Are The Conditions of Entry?

To keep everyone safe and maintain the good vibes, there are a few event rules you need to follow before you party it up at RAC Arena, including:

  • You must have a valid ticket to scan at entry (maybe obvious, but arguably the most important!)
  • Bags larger than A4 (including handbags and baby bags) are not permitted
  • Banners, flags or signs larger than an A3 piece of paper are not permitted
  • No alcoholic beverages permitted into the venue
  • No alcoholic beverages taken outside the venue
  • Strollers, baby carriers and prams must be checked in the Cloakroom
  • Smoking is prohibited in all areas unless stated otherwise
  • No glass/metal bottles or cans are permitted
  • No professional cameras, drones or broadcasting equipment
  • No offensive or lewd items or clothing

Here’s what you can bring:

  • One sealed 600mL PET bottle of water per person (unless stated otherwise)
  • A bag sized A4 or smaller (it doesn’t have to be clear!)
  • Banners, flags or signs sized A3 or smaller (unless stated otherwise)
  • Medication for a medical condition (communicate with the venue prior and let security personnel know upon arrival)

Where Can I Eat and Drink Before?

If you've got time to kill before your event or want to kick on afterwards, there are tons of cool places nearby that are worth checking out. Just across from RAC Arena in Yagan Square, you'll find the legendary Stories offering nine bars including a rooftop and speakeasy, three restaurants, a pop-up taco bar and the city's biggest beer garden spread across five spacious stories. There's also Street Eats Eatery, an outdoor food market serving dishes and cocktails from around the world, and Hiss & Smoke Japanese restaurant right next to the train station.

If you're kicking on and looking for the perfect bar to sip at, you've got Deadbeat on Murray Street for a chilled dive bar vibe, Edward & Ida's on William Street for fabulous cocktails and a classic pub feed, or The Aviary rooftop bar on William Street for killer city views. 

You can also see our full selection of must-try CBD restaurants here, and our fave Perth bars for all-night boozing here.

What Are My Food And Drinks Options In The Arena?

No need to let your hanger ruin a good night, because RAC is stocked with the good stuff to keep you energised and hydrated. The ground-level RAC Local Lounge is prime for a pre-show bite, opening 30 minutes prior to the main arena doors on an event day and serving a variety of hot food. 

The Pirate Life Bar is on level 1 between doors 5 and 22, serving pre-show brews and nibbles as the anticipation builds, and self-service checkouts throughout the building are also available, offering chips, burgers, soft drinks and the like for a more casual experience.

How Do I Avoid Traffic In The Area?

If you don't have a concert locked in the social calendar (it's okay, we've gotta budget somewhere) you still need to keep the CBD traffic in mind. 

The surrounding major roads, including Wellington Street, Milligan Street, and St George's Terrace are likely to be pretty congested with cars, buses and foot traffic before and after any events at RAC Arena. This also includes finding parking or escaping carparks afterwards. 

To counter this, we recommend using public transport where you can, checking Facebook and Main Roads WA for any road closures or incidents, or parking a little further away from the Arena to avoid the crowds. 

You can find out more info about RAC Arena here and a venue map is available here.

Main Image Credit: United Cup | Instagram