Some of the Best Pickleball Tournaments Around the World
As people in the United States know, the number of people playing pickleball is growing exponentially. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that pickleball is also growing internationally.
While USA Pickleball is the governing body for pickleball in the United States, one of the largest international governing boards for pickleball is the International Federation of Pickleball, which currently has 63 member countries in Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, Oceania, and North America. This organization is committed to bringing pickleball to as many countries around the world as possible and helps organize tournaments around the world.
Of course, other organizations, including the PPA, MLP, WPT, and APP, have been interested in expanding and have begun forming partnerships with international countries to diversify and promote the sport worldwide. With pickleball global partnerships forming, prize money opportunities are growing for tournament participants. Many international competitions and invitationals offer round-robin style tourneys with rankings that separate amateur players from professionals, so more interested picklers can join in on the fun.
Here are just a handful of the many annual tournaments that can be found throughout the world.
World Pickleball Championship Games
The World Games were most recently held in May 2023 at the Pickle Ranch in Austin, Texas. This international team competition is represented by a coach and team, with each participating country choosing a minimum of four women and four men and a maximum of six women and six men for their teams. This international event is held in a format necessary for the eventual consideration of pickleball as an Olympic sport.
Pickleball in Spain
Spain has hosted the Spanish Open pickleball tournament since 2015. It attracts players from over 15 countries and the Spanish Open in 2023, powered by the APP, was most recently held from 9/1 - 9/3 in the city of Salamanca.
“The APP has a firm commitment to grow pickleball worldwide, so we’re pleased to partner with Pickleball Salamanca for one of Europe’s premier tournaments of 2023,” commented APP Founder Ken Herrmann. “Spain has a passionate pickleball fan base – as demonstrated by eight years of hosting the Spanish Open – and the APP is proud to support the game in Spain as global stewards for the game of pickleball. We look forward to a fantastic event in Salamanca, a place with a rich and vibrant cultural history.”
Pickleball in England
England hosted its first national championship pickleball tournament August 12 -15, 2021 in Bolton, which was a rousing success. Most recently, the English Open was held by the APP at the Telford International Centre, Shropshire. With over 40 pickleball courts, this pickleball event lasted for four action-packed days and featured pickleball players from around the world.
Pickleball in Mexico
Mexico is hosting the Americas Championship later this year from November 26 - December 2nd in Cabo San Lucas. Hosted by the PFA, the first continental pickleball federation through the Americas (North, Central, South, and the Caribbean), this inaugural event is sanctioned and is shaping up to be a tournament to remember. Registration is still open and will close on November 15th, 2023.
The tournament will feature Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Mixed Doubles, and Women’s Singles categories along with four skill levels:
Advanced: 4.5 - 5.0
Intermediate: 4.0
Beginner: 3.5
Social: 2.5 - 3.0
“We’re delighted that our continental partners in Mexico, led by Javier Regalado, have stepped onto the court and are hosting the inaugural The Americas Championship” comments Tony Casey, a Global Affairs volunteer with Pickleball Canada.
Pickleball in Australia
The MLP recently announced its first international expansion through a partnership with the PPL. All future tournaments will be held under the Major League Pickleball Australia heading and adhere to Major League Pickleball tournament format aside from the Open and Masters events, held annually.
The CEO of the MLP Julio DePietro said, ”This partnership is a landmark moment for the sport of pickleball. Major League Pickleball is at the forefront of standardizing the best professional pickleball league, not just in the U.S. but globally.”
Pickleball in Canada
In talking with Canada's number two-ranked player, Ernesto Fajarado, he confirmed that there has been a substantial increase in the number of players across his country. Ernesto lives in the Montreal area and says the level of competition is increasing, with many more 4.0 and 4.5 players in his area. The Canadian Nationals was most recently held in St. Regina from August 23-27.
Final Thoughts
Many events are currently being added for the 2024 season throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The best place to find information and open registration for new and upcoming tournaments is on the official pickleball association for each country or check international organizations’ event pages. Another way is to follow your favorite pickleball news websites or follow official tournaments on social media.
