The draw for the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers was conducted on Sunday in Bologna, Italy, only hours after Italy secured a historic third straight Davis Cup title.
Twenty-seven nations learned their qualifying path as the International Tennis Federation revealed a slate of compelling February ties that will shape next year’s Final 8.
Reigning Davis Cup Champions Italy Earn Automatic Berth
As host nation for the second straight year, Italy receives a wild card directly into the Final 8 in Bologna next November.
The three-time defending champions showcased exceptional depth this season, led by Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli. They will enter 2026 among the favorites with Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti hopefully returning to the lineup.
Spain, runners-up in this year’s final, is the top seed and receives a bye into the second round. The Spaniards need just one qualifying win to return to Bologna and hope to have Carlos Alcaraz available after he withdrew from this year’s event with a minor hamstring injury.
Standout First-Round Davis Cup Ties
Great Britain vs. Norway: Great Britain travels to Scandinavia for their first meeting with Norway since 1953. The British, who have reached the Final 8 twice in the past five years, face a Norwegian team that showed promise with a recent win over Chinese Taipei.
Canada vs. Brazil: Canada hosts a dangerous Brazil squad that may feature rising star João Fonseca. Canada will look to rebound after a narrow 3–2 loss to Hungary in this year’s qualifiers.
Germany vs. Peru: Led by world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, Germany enters as strong favorites as Peru heads to Europe for a challenging away tie.
Serbia vs. Chile: Novak Djokovic’s Serbia travels to South America in one of the most intriguing ties of the opening round.
United States vs. Hungary: The U.S. hosts a Hungarian team that stunned Canada earlier this season, setting up an unexpectedly tricky encounter.
India vs. Netherlands: Fresh off their historic win over Switzerland, India’s first road victory against a European nation since 1993, the carry real momentum when they host the Netherlands.
Australia vs. Ecuador: The 28-time champions Australia head to Ecuador aiming to avoid another early exit after failing to reach Bologna this year.
Potential Second-Round Davis Cup Blockbusters
The September second-round projections include several mouthwatering possibilities:
- Spain vs. Serbia: A potential showdown between Alcaraz and Djokovic in a Davis Cup setting would command global attention.
- Australia vs. Great Britain: A classic rivalry could be renewed if both teams advance.
- Canada/Brazil vs. France: Either matchup would offer compelling storylines, from Félix Auger-Aliassime’s challenge to a deep French squad to a breakthrough opportunity for Fonseca.
- Germany vs. Croatia or Denmark: Zverev’s Germany could face one of two tough European opponents should they defeat Peru.
- United States vs. Czechia: A rematch of the dramatic 2025 qualifier, where Czechia shocked the U.S. 3–2 in Delray Beach, is also on the table.
Road to Bologna
The qualifiers follow a best-of-five format played over two days, with the home nation selecting both the venue and surface. The 13 first-round winners join Spain in September, where seven nations will earn a place alongside Italy in the Final 8 scheduled for November 18–23, 2026.
With Italy already locked in and Spain needing only one victory, the remaining nations face a demanding two-round gauntlet to reach the World Cup of tennis. Another dramatic Davis Cup season is set to begin.
