<p>A total of 26 nations play 13 home‑or‑away ties; winners reach the Qualifiers 2nd Round in September, while losers drop into World Group I play‑offs. Ties are best-of-five series (two singles on day one, then doubles, plus two reverse singles on day two), all matches best-of-three sets. If you're unfamiliar with the format, our guide on <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/tennis/tennis-news/what-is-the-davis-cup-ultimate-guide">what is the Davis Cup</a> covers everything you need to know.</p> <p>Matches to be played in the 1st Round are:</p> <ul> <li>Chile vs #14 Serbia</li> <li>#2 Germany vs Peru</li> <li>#13 Croatia vs Denmark</li> <li>Ecuador vs #3 Australia</li> <li>Norway vs #12 Great Britain</li> <li>#4 Bulgaria vs Belgium</li> <li>Japan vs #11 Austria</li> <li>India vs #5 Netherlands</li> <li>Korea, Rep. vs #10 Argentina</li> <li>Hungary vs #6 USA</li> <li>#9 Czechia vs Sweden</li> <li>#7 France vs Slovakia</li> <li>#8 Canada vs Brazil</li> </ul> <p>Spain are also involved as the top seed, but hold a bye in the first round. Italy won last year and have an automatic place in the Final 8.</p> <h2>When Is the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round?</h2> <p>The 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round runs 5-8 February 2026, with ties scheduled over two consecutive days on dates chosen by the home nation (typically 6-7 or 7-8 February).</p> <h2>Where Is the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round?</h2> <p>Matches will be played in various locations worldwide. Home nations select their venue and surface, which can significantly impact results—understanding <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/misc/other-news/tennis-surfaces-clay--vs-grass--vs-hard-court-differences">tennis surfaces explained</a> can help when assessing each tie.</p> <h2>2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round Prize Money?</h2> <p>There is no prize money available to winners in this round. Participating nations receive a fixed participation payment, regardless of the outcome, to cover players' and federations' costs.</p> <h2>How To Bet On the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round</h2> <p>You can bet on the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round with our dedicated <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/tennis">tennis betting section</a>, where you can find potential betting value across all matches. For those new to wagering on the sport, our guide on <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-tennis">how to bet on tennis</a> is a useful starting point.</p> <p>To bet on one you like, simply select the event and the odds available to add it to your betting slip, and then hit 'Place Bet' after setting your stake.</p> <h2>2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round: Betting Preview</h2> <p>We've selected a few ties for which we've made betting predictions for the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round…</p> <p>Norway vs Great Britain (Oslo, indoor) is the headline tie of the round, with Jack Draper and Casper Ruud the likely No.1s. Both nations can challenge if they have strong No. 2s in their teams, making this feel like a 3-1 or 3-2 either way, with doubles and the Draper-Ruud clash central to the tie narrative. We think it's likely that GB win.</p> <p>Elsewhere, Hungary vs USA (Hungary, indoors likely) is a potential banana‑skin tie for the Americans against a Hungary that recently shocked Canada. We think the USA is likely to win.</p> <h2>Keep Reading</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/tennis/predictions/davis-cup-vs-laver-cup-what-is-the-difference">The key differences between tennis's biggest team events</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/tennis/tennis-news/tennis-playing-styles-explained">What your favourite player's style says about their game</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/tennis/tennis-news/how-tennis-scoring-works">Love, deuce, and tiebreaks — tennis scoring finally explained</a></li> </ul>