The BNP Paribas Fortis European Open Guide for Fans Who Actually Care

For tennis fans who want serious indoor tennis at a price point that makes the rest of the European indoor swing look like a shakedown, in a city that knows how to eat

The Quick Verdict

The European Open is Belgium's only ATP Tour event and one of the most underrated stops on the European indoor calendar. It sits in late October, right in the thick of the race to the ATP Finals, which means players are competing with genuine urgency. This is not an end-of-season exhibition. Rankings, seedings, and season-ending berths are on the line in every match.

The tournament moved from Antwerp to Brussels in 2025 and immediately upgraded. Brussels Expo on the Heysel Plateau is a bigger, better-connected, more atmospheric venue. The 2025 edition drew Musetti, Auger-Aliassime, Lehečka, Tsitsipas, and Bergs. Auger-Aliassime won the title for the second time. The quality of the field at an ATP 250 in this calendar slot is routinely above what the ranking category suggests.

Brussels itself is the argument closer. An hour forty from London on the Eurostar, a food culture that punches harder than cities twice its size, and October weather that makes indoor tennis feel like the correct way to spend an evening. For fans already attending the Rolex Paris Masters or the Nitto ATP Finals, the European Open is the warm-up act that deserves its own trip.

Getting Your Tickets

Tickets are sold exclusively through the official website at europeanopen.be.

The 2026 edition introduces an updated ticket structure with multiple categories ranging from Box Experience (the most exclusive) down to Category 4. The tournament uses a two-venue format across the week: early rounds from opening Saturday through Thursday at one venue within Brussels Expo, then quarterfinals through finals from Friday to Sunday at the main arena. Both venues are within the Brussels Expo complex on the Heysel Plateau, so the move between them is a walk, not a journey.

A pro tip for value hunters: the opening weekend and early weekday sessions are the most accessible price points, and the draw is still wide open. You might catch a top seed in a tricky early round at a fraction of what a semifinal ticket costs. If the finals weekend is the priority, book early. The 2025 edition sold well in Brussels and the 2026 edition, with the audience now established, will move faster.

Kids under 12 receive a discount. Students and seniors have had discounts in previous editions. Check the official ticketing page for the 2026 discount structure.

For hospitality packages covering the quarterfinals through finals weekend (23-25 October), see the Hospitality Packages section below.

Getting There

Brussels Expo sits on the Heysel Plateau in the Laeken district, about 6km north of the city centre. It is not in the heart of Brussels, but getting there is straightforward.

By metro

Metro Line 6 (the blue line) runs directly to Heizel/Heysel station from Brussels South (Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid). The journey takes approximately 15 minutes. From the central city (De Brouckère, near Grand Place), take Line 1 westbound to Beekkant, then change to Line 6 towards Roi Baudouin/Koning Boudewijn. Total journey: 20-25 minutes. Trains run every 5-10 minutes. A single ticket costs €2.10 from a machine, or you can tap a contactless bank card at the gates and the system calculates the fare automatically, capping at the day rate. A 24-hour pass is €7.50.

From Heizel/Heysel station, Brussels Expo is a short signposted walk. Follow the crowds on match evenings.

By tram

Tram 7 runs to the Heysel area from the eastern side of the city, stopping at Centenaire, approximately 200 metres from the venue. Slower than the metro but useful depending on where you are staying.

By train to Brussels

Brussels is one of the best-connected cities in Europe by rail. From London: Eurostar to Bruxelles-Midi, approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. From Paris: Thalys/Eurostar, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. From Amsterdam: Thalys, approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. From Cologne: Thalys, approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. All high-speed services arrive at Bruxelles-Midi, which connects directly to Heizel/Heysel on Metro Line 6.

By air

Brussels Airport (BRU) handles international flights and is approximately 15 minutes from Brussels Expo by taxi, or around an hour by public transport (train to Bruxelles-Midi, then Metro Line 6). Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL), used by budget carriers, is approximately 60-90 minutes from the city by shuttle bus.

By car

Brussels Expo is accessible from the Brussels Ring Road (R0) with signage for Heysel/Atomium. Parking is available at Brussels Expo but fills quickly on event days. If you are driving into Brussels, park at your hotel and take the metro. The parking passes included with hospitality packages (one per two guests) are the exception, and they are worth using.

Seat Guide

The European Open uses a two-venue format in 2026. The early rounds (Saturday 17 through Thursday 22 October) take place at one venue within Brussels Expo, with the tournament moving to the main arena for quarterfinals through finals (Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October).

The ING Arena (formerly Palais 12) has a maximum capacity of approximately 15,000 and is the largest indoor arena in the Brussels Expo complex. For tennis, the configuration is tighter, bringing the crowd closer to the court. At an ATP 250 in an indoor arena, the proximity is the whole point. You hear the ball off the strings, you hear the players' shoes squeak on the hard court, and you can read the spin from the middle rows. This is a fundamentally different sensory experience from watching tennis in a 23,000-seat outdoor stadium.

The 2026 ticket categories range from Category 4 (furthest from the court, most affordable) through to the Box Experience (courtside VIP boxes with the closest view of the action). Categories 1 and 2 in the lower bowl deliver the best combination of proximity and perspective for general admission.

No sun guidance is needed. This is indoor tennis under consistent artificial lighting. Late October in Brussels. No weather delays, no squinting, no sunburn strategy.

Food and Drink

Inside the venue

Standard concessions operate during sessions. The real food story at the European Open is in the hospitality programme, where The Baseline Club serves a walking dinner or lunch format with open bar, and The Courtside Lounge provides a seated dining experience at private tables.

Brussels: the food

Brussels is one of the great eating cities of Europe, and it does not get enough credit for it. The density of quality within a small, walkable centre is remarkable. Here is what to prioritise.

Moules-frites is the obvious call, and the obvious call is correct. A big pot of mussels steamed in white wine with celery, served with a cone of twice-fried Belgian frites. Chez Léon near Rue des Bouchers has been doing this since 1893 and remains the reference. If you want something less tourist-facing, the brasseries around Place du Châtelain and Place Flagey serve the same dish with fewer selfie sticks.

Belgian frites deserve their own mention. These are not French fries. They are thicker, fried twice in beef tallow, crispy outside and fluffy inside, and served in a paper cone with a choice of sauces. Maison Antoine on Place Jourdan is the most famous friterie in Brussels and has been open since 1948. The queue is part of the experience. Get the andalouse sauce.

Carbonnade flamande is Belgian beef stew braised in dark Belgian beer. Rich, sweet, and deeply savoury. The kind of dish that makes sense after sitting in an arena watching tennis on an October evening.

Waffles. Two types and they are not the same thing. Brussels waffles are rectangular, light, and crispy. Liège waffles are round, dense, caramelised with pearl sugar, and better. A Liège waffle from a street vendor with nothing on it is the correct order. If someone tries to put Nutella and strawberries and whipped cream on it, they are performing for tourists.

Brussels is also a chocolate city. Pierre Marcolini on Grand Sablon is the destination for serious chocolate. Laurent Gerbaud near the Sablon is the quieter, more personal alternative, and his fruit-and-nut combinations are exceptional.

For a proper sit-down dinner after an evening session: La Quincaillerie in Ixelles (a former hardware shop converted into a brasserie, beautiful space, classic French-Belgian cooking), Bozar Restaurant near the Central Station (seasonal Belgian cuisine in the Palais des Beaux-Arts), or Les Brigittines near the Sablon (Burgundian-influenced Brussels cooking, game season in October). Beer bars: Moeder Lambic Fontainas on Place Fontainas for a curated draught list of Belgian craft and lambic beers, or Delirium Café near Grand Place for the spectacle (3,000+ beers), though the spectacle is the point rather than the curation.

Belgian beer itself warrants a paragraph. This is a country that has more than 1,500 distinct beers and a brewing tradition classified by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. Trappist ales (brewed by monks at six Belgian abbeys), lambics (spontaneously fermented, sour, unique to the Brussels region), gueuze (a blend of aged lambics, bone-dry and champagne-like), and kriek (lambic fermented with sour cherries). Cantillon Brewery in Anderlecht, a 15-minute metro ride from the city centre, is one of the last traditional lambic breweries in Brussels and offers tours and tastings. This is a brewery that has been making beer the same way since 1900. Visit on a weekday morning before the tennis.

What to Wear

No formal dress code for general admission. The Belgian crowd at the European Open dresses smart casual. Dark jeans, a good jacket, clean shoes. For the hospitality areas, dress up a step. The Courtside Lounge is a seated dinner or lunch at private tables; it rewards the effort.

Late October in Brussels means temperatures between 7 and 14 degrees Celsius during the day, dropping lower in the evening. Rain is likely at some point during the week. Bring a proper coat, an umbrella, and shoes that handle wet cobblestones. The venue is indoors and climate-controlled, but the journey between your hotel and Brussels Expo requires dressing for autumn.

Things to Do Beyond the Tennis

The Atomium

Brussels Expo sits on the Heysel Plateau, and the Atomium is right there. Literally. A five-minute walk from the venue. Built for the 1958 World's Fair and never taken down because Brussels loved it too much, the Atomium is a 102-metre structure of nine interconnected spheres representing an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The top sphere has a panoramic restaurant and observation deck with views across Brussels and, on clear days, as far as Antwerp. The connecting tubes contain the longest escalators in Europe. It is surreal and beautiful. Visit before an afternoon session.

Grand Place

One of the most spectacular squares in Europe. Gothic City Hall on one side, ornate guildhalls from the 15th to 17th centuries on the other three. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it earns the designation. Go at night when the buildings are lit. A five-minute walk from the Central Station.

The Sablon

The Grand Sablon is Brussels' antiques and chocolate quarter. Pierre Marcolini and Laurent Gerbaud are both here. The square itself has a weekend antiques market (Saturday and Sunday mornings). The Church of Our Lady of the Sablon is underrated Gothic. The Petit Sablon garden, just downhill, has statues representing Brussels' medieval guilds and is one of the quietest, most beautiful spots in the city.

The Comic Strip Centre (Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée)

Belgium takes comics seriously. Tintin, the Smurfs, Lucky Luke, and Spirou are all Belgian. The Comic Strip Centre is housed in a stunning Art Nouveau building designed by Victor Horta and traces the history of the Franco-Belgian comic tradition. Even if you are not a comics person, the Horta building alone justifies the visit.

Cantillon Brewery

One of the last traditional lambic breweries in Brussels, operating since 1900. Self-guided tours available on weekday mornings. You walk through the brewing process, see the wooden casks and the open coolship where wild yeast begins the spontaneous fermentation that defines lambic beer, and taste several beers at the end. It is one of the most authentic food and drink experiences available in Brussels. A 15-minute metro ride from the city centre.

Day trip: Bruges or Ghent

Both are under an hour from Brussels by train. Bruges is the medieval postcard (canals, cobblestones, chocolate shops, the Jan van Eyck altarpiece). Ghent is grittier, younger, and has better food. Either makes a strong day trip during the early rounds of the tournament when you are not planning to attend a session.

Insider Tip

The European Open moved from Antwerp to Brussels in 2025, which means the Brussels audience is still building. Hospitality availability is better here than at the more established indoor events on the calendar. The Baseline Club starts at €325pp for quarterfinal Friday, and The Courtside Lounge runs €385pp for a seated dinner on semifinals Saturday or a seated lunch on finals Sunday. Compare that to what Bercy charges for the Rolex Paris Masters or what Turin charges for the ATP Finals and the value is striking.

If you are attending the Rolex Paris Masters (which finishes the first weekend of November) or the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin (mid-November), the European Open in late October is the natural first stop on a three-tournament European indoor swing. Brussels to Paris is 1 hour 20 minutes by Thalys. Paris to Turin is 5 hours 40 minutes by TGV. Three tournaments, three countries, three weeks. The best indoor tennis trip available on the calendar.

Hospitality Packages

The European Open has two hospitality options covering the quarterfinals through finals weekend (Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026).

The Baseline Club is the signature VIP experience, running all three days. A walking dinner format on Friday and Saturday, a walking lunch on finals Sunday. Champagne on arrival, open bar throughout, Prestige Seats overlooking Centre Court, and live entertainment in the VIP area. The atmosphere is vibrant and sociable. For corporate groups, private branded lounges are available for 20 to 200 guests. Upgrade to a Courtside VIP Box for the closest view in the arena (from €50pp on Friday, €75pp on Saturday and Sunday). From €325pp on quarterfinal Friday. All prices exclude VAT.

The Courtside Lounge is the intimate option. A seated dinner on semifinals Saturday and a seated lunch on finals Sunday, served at your own private table for 8 or 10 guests. Champagne, open bar, Prestige Seats, and the same Courtside VIP Box upgrade option. This is hospitality built for occasions where the quality of the meal and the privacy of the setting matter as much as the tennis. Available on Saturday and Sunday only. €385pp excluding VAT.

Enquire through experience.tennis for availability, date recommendations, and booking.

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Last updated: July 2026. Know something we don't? Submit a tip and we'll add it to the guide.