United Pickleball Association Announces Five-Stop International PPA Series in 2025

The United Pickleball Association (UPA) has unveiled the UPA International Championship Series, featuring five tour stops in 2025. This initiative aims to expand the reach of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball brands beyond the United States, promoting the sport globally.

For the first time, top-tier UPA-signed players will compete in PPA Tour tournaments at international locations, alongside some of the best regional players worldwide, earning PPA Tour Points.

Prominent players like Ben Johns (USA), Anna Leigh Waters (USA), Catherine Parenteau (Canada), Federico Staksrud (Argentina), Anna Bright (USA), Jay Devilliers (France), Lucy Kovalova (Slovakia), Tina Pisnik (Slovenia), and Quang Duong (Vietnam) will highlight these international tour stops.

Here are the five scheduled stops:

  • Australia Pickleball Open – Melbourne, Australia – Jan. 29-Feb. 2: The inaugural international event will kick off the series in late January, hosted by PPA Tour Australia.
  • India Pickleball Open – Mumbai, India – Feb. 5-9: Following the Melbourne event, the series will move to Mumbai, India, hosted by PPA Tour India.
  • Canada Pickleball Open – Toronto, Canada in September: Pro pickleball will head to the Great White North.
  • Asia Pickleball Open – TBA, Asia in October: The fourth event in October will expand the series’ reach and participation within Asia, with the exact location to be announced, hosted by PPA Tour Asia.
  • Europe Pickleball Open – TBA, Europe in October: The fifth event is scheduled for October at a European venue yet to be announced.

“The United Pickleball Association – encompassing the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball – has set the benchmark for professional pickleball and is thrilled to bring the world’s best players and events to new corners of the globe with 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. “We are very selective in choosing partners for these ventures and are engaged in ongoing discussions with interested organizations. Our operational partners bring unmatched regional expertise, and when combined with the established business model and brand recognition of the PPA Tour and MLP, this new series will be elevated immediately.”

Each event will be operated collaboratively between the UPA and leading local organizations in each country. This collaboration will elevate these five tour stops by leveraging the PPA Tour’s brand while utilizing local expertise.

This international expansion is a significant step for the UPA. The UPA has already partnered with Pacific Pickleball (now PPA/MLP Australia) in Australia and Global Sports in India, with more partnerships to be announced in the future.

Such steps will continue to grow the game internationally and bring pickleball closer to becoming an Olympic sport. Additionally, this is an excellent opportunity for international pickleball players to test their skills against the best in the sport. With top-level pros from the PPA Tour attending each event, regional players will have the chance to compete against the world’s best and earn valuable PPA Points.

Future plans include integrating Major League Pickleball’s unique co-ed team format into the international series, with details to be announced later.

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