CyberCX will continue its role as the Official Cyber Security Partner of the Australian Open in 2026, extending a partnership that has been in place for four years. The agreement maintains CyberCX’s involvement with one of the largest sporting events in the Asia Pacific region at a time when digital systems play a central role in tournament operations and fan engagement.
The renewed CyberCX Australian Open partnership reflects ongoing attention on cybersecurity risks facing major sporting events. Large tournaments increasingly rely on digital platforms for ticketing, broadcasting, payments, media operations, and event logistics. This growing dependence has expanded the potential impact of cyber incidents, including service disruption, data exposure, and fraud.
CyberCX has previously stated that sporting organisations and professional athletes face a wide range of cyber threats. These include system outages, theft of sensitive information, privacy breaches, ticketing fraud, and financial fraud. As sporting events grow in scale and complexity, these risks have become more pronounced.
Sporting organisations have also become attractive targets due to their large audiences and high volumes of personal and commercial data. Major events often involve temporary staff, third party suppliers, and short term digital infrastructure, all of which can increase exposure if not carefully managed. These factors place added pressure on organisers to maintain strong cybersecurity controls throughout the event lifecycle, a key focus of the CyberCX Australian Open partnership.
Cyber Security Planning for Major Sporting Events
Security planning for global tournaments such as the Australian Open typically extends across multiple systems and environments. These include venue networks, ticketing and accreditation platforms, broadcast and media services, and internal operational systems. Organisers also handle significant amounts of personal data related to ticket buyers, members, hospitality guests, and commercial partners.
The Australian Open has evolved into a massive digital operation. Fans engage with the tournament through live streaming services, social media platforms, official apps, and online content alongside traditional broadcast coverage. Any disruption to these services can have reaching consequences for audiences, partners, and event operations.
Cyber security measures within the CyberCX Australian Open partnership focus on preventing unauthorised access, ensuring system availability, and protecting sensitive data. Monitoring and response capabilities are also critical during live events, where downtime or breaches can quickly escalate due to the scale of public attention.
CyberCX has described the global sporting sector as operating in a challenging threat environment, noting that Australia has become an increasingly attractive target for cyber criminal activity. The company has highlighted the need for ongoing investment in cybersecurity capabilities across sporting codes and event organisers.
Broader Focus on Sport and Digital Risk
The CyberCX Australian Open partnership is part of the company’s wider involvement in elite sport and major events. The company also works with Rugby Australia, supporting cybersecurity initiatives across national teams and associated organisations. This work has included cyber incident simulations, risk assessments, penetration testing, and improvements to security controls.
Across the sporting industry, organisations face growing expectations to manage both operational and reputational risks linked to cyber incidents. Breaches involving personal information or disruptions to match day operations can have lasting effects on trust, commercial relationships, and brand reputation.
Tennis Australia has stated that cybersecurity has become an integrated part of its event planning and delivery. The organisation manages both on site operations at Melbourne Park and engagement with audiences around the world, increasing the importance of reliable and secure digital systems.
As the Australian Open continues to open the global tennis calendar each year, the scale of its digital footprint remains significant. Millions of fans attend in person or follow the tournament through online platforms and broadcasts. This environment places continued emphasis on cybersecurity planning as an essential component of delivering a major international sporting event.
The extended CyberCX Australian Open partnership signals an ongoing focus on managing cyber risks as the Australian Open prepares for future tournaments, with attention on protecting systems, data, and the overall event experience.
