Pickleball Today is excited to report that UPA (United Pickleball Association) has announced a global expansion to Canada, India, Europe, Asia and Australia for 2025.
PPA Pickleball Goes Global
As Canada's National Pickleball News Source, along with covering the CPA Pro Tour and CNPL in Canada, we've also extensively covered the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball as well since our inception.
So it's only natural that we are extremely pleased that the PPA Tour and the their array of 150+ of the world's best pickleball players will be coming to Canada in 2025.
This will be an ideal showcase of Canadian talent as well as those in the other countries to test their mettle against the best competition on the planet.
Canada, Australia, India, Europe and Asia to comprise UPA International Championship Series
The following is a portion of the official press release from UPA and the PPA from this morning.
DALLAS, TX, July 18, 2024 – The United Pickleball Association (UPA), the leader in growing, organizing, and presenting professional and amateur pickleball, has announced a new series of international events that will expand the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball’s reach via a united international competition circuit.
The events will also bring many of the 150+ best pro players in the world, who play exclusively with the UPA, into these regions to compete in the world’s first top-tier global pickleball tour.
Most importantly, local players in each country will be able to compete against the best of PPA / MLP.
“The United Pickleball Association – the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball – has set the standard for the professional game and is excited to bring the best players and events in the world to new corners of the globe in the first true international pro pickleball tour,” said Anne Worcester, UPA Strategic Advisor, former CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), and former President of UTR Sports.
Worcester continues “We are extremely discerning in selecting partners for these joint ventures, and continue to have conversations with interested organizations. The expertise offered by our operational partners is unmatched in their regions and, combined with the proven business model and brand recognition the PPA Tour and MLP provide, will elevate this new series immediately.”
The series will launch in 2025 with four planned events – to be held in Australia, India, Asia and Europe – and will be operated between the UPA and leading operational organizations in each country.
These international events will be elevated by the expertise of those who know their regions best, while leveraging the global clout and recognizability of the PPA Tour, Major League Pickleball, and all of its top pickleball superstar athletes. The first two partners to be announced were Pacific Pickleball (now PPA/MLP Australia) in Australia and Global Sports in India, with more exciting announcements in the works and coming soon.
The UPA International Championship Series underscores the sport's global appeal and offers a platform for elite competition across continents, culminating at the exciting World Championships in Dallas in November, 2025. Top pickleball athletes from each region will join many of the top PPA Tour professionals and hundreds of local amateurs at each stop. Events are as follows:
Australia Pickleball Open – Melbourne, Australia – Jan. 29-Feb. 2: The inaugural international event kicks off the series in late January, hosted by PPA Tour Australia
India Pickleball Open – Mumbai, India – Feb. 5-9: Following Melbourne, the series moves to Mumbai, India, hosted by PPA Tour India
Canada Pickleball Open – Toronto, Canada in September: Pro pickleball heads to the Great White North.
Asia Pickleball Open – TBA, Asia in October: The third event in October expands the series' reach and participation within Asia, with exact location to be announced, hosted by PPA Tour Asia
Europe Pickleball Open – TBA, Europe in October: The fourth event is scheduled for October at a European venue yet to be announced
UPA World Championships – Dallas, TX, USA in November: The third consecutive year of record-breaking pickleball festivities will welcome athletes from all over the world and celebrate the best the sport has to offer.
