APP Leads New Global Alliance to Unite Professional Pickleball

Professional pickleball just took a major step toward becoming a truly global sport.

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) announced this week it is joining forces with six (6) international partners to form a worldwide alliance designed to streamline professional play, unify rankings, and expand opportunities for athletes across continents.

The coalition includes:

• Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL)
• European Pickleball Federation (EPF)
• India’s Global Sports
• Australia’s National Pickleball League (NPL)
• Pickleball England
• Vietnam’s Pickleball D-Joy

Together with the APP, the group unveiled a plan to deliver a coordinated calendar of more than 30 events in 2026, a single global ranking system, and a tiered prize structure aimed at creating a more sustainable career path for pro players.

“This is a monumental day for pickleball worldwide,” said APP Founder Ken Herrmann. “The APP always has been player focused, and now, we’re able to continue that mission worldwide and provide more competitive opportunities for players than ever before.”

A Unified World Calendar

The centerpiece of the alliance is the first-ever global professional pickleball calendar, stretching across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The 2026 season will feature at least 30 tournaments, strategically coordinated to avoid scheduling conflicts between marquee events.

The calendar begins late in 2025 with the Kooyong Open in Australia (Dec. 5-7), before rolling into 2026 with major stops including the Indian Open (Feb. 3-8), APP Daytona Beach Open (Feb. 18-22), Global Sports event in India/Dubai (Mar. 9-15), and Pickleball D-Joy events in Vietnam throughout the year.

The summer stretch includes the English Open powered by the APP (Aug. 12-16), the Canadian Open (Sept. 3-6), and the European Open (Oct. 6-11), alongside legacy APP Tour staples like Chicago, Detroit, and the year-end APP Tour Championships and Atlantic Cup (Nov. 30–Dec. 6) in Fort Lauderdale.

2025–26 Global Calendar Event List:

• Dec. 5-7, 2025 – Kooyong Open (Australia)
• Late January 2026 – Australian Open
• Feb. 3-8 – Indian Open (Global Sports)
• Feb. 18-22 – APP Daytona Beach Open (USA)
• Mar. 9-15 – Global Sports Pickleball Event (India/Dubai)
• Mar. 19-22 – Pickleball D-Joy Event (Vietnam)
• Mar. 25-29 – APP Fort Lauderdale Open (USA)
• Apr. 13-19 – U.S. Open (USA)
• Apr. 29–May 3 – APP Sacramento Open (USA)
• May 13-17 – APP Southern California Open (USA)
• May 27-31 – APP Virginia Beach Open (USA)
• June 10-14 – APP Vlasic Classic – Cincinnati (USA)
• June 18-21 – Pickleball D-Joy Event (Vietnam)
• July 22-26 – APP Chicago Open (USA)
• July 28–Aug. 2 – Monsoon Open (Global Sports)
• Aug. 12-16 – English Open powered by the APP (England)
• Aug. 19-23 – APP Detroit Open (USA)
• Sept. 3-6 – Canadian Open (CNPL)
• Sept. 10-13 – Pickleball D-Joy Event (Vietnam)
• Sept. 16-20 – APP Overland Park Open (USA)
• Sept. 30–Oct. 4 – APP Women’s Open (USA)
• Oct. 6-11 – European Open (EPF)
• Oct. 14-18 – Humana APP Louisville Open (USA)
• Oct. 21-25 – Dubai Open (Global Sports)
• Oct. 28–Nov. 1 – APP Arizona Open (USA)
• Nov. 12-15 – APP Pro-Invite Event (USA)
• Nov. 16-22 – USA Pickleball National Championships (USA)
• Nov. 30–Dec. 6 – APP Tour Championships + Atlantic Cup (USA)

Tournaments will be designated into three tiers, each offering progressive prize pools and points toward a newly established international ranking system.

Toward a Global Rankings System

Perhaps the most consequential piece of the alliance is the creation of a unified world ranking for professional players. For years, pros have juggled competing tours and point systems that rarely aligned across borders.

Under the new framework, results from all partner events will feed into one ranking table beginning in 2026. That system, still in development, will ensure that players from Canada to Vietnam are measured on the same scale—a major step in legitimizing pickleball as a global sport.

Player and Organizer Reaction

For players, the implications are immediate. More tournaments, larger purses, and the chance to build careers on a predictable schedule.

APP all-time medal leader Megan Fudge praised the move: “With more international pros than ever, the competition will be next-level. I’m grateful for the support of the APP and all the alliance leaders to make it happen.”

Organizers echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing both unity and opportunity:

• Karen Mitchell (Pickleball England): “Collaboration is key to growing pickleball globally… This alliance ensures players can plan their season with confidence.”
• Frank Arico (European Pickleball Federation): “For too long administrative division and opposing factions have held pickleball back. This agreement demonstrates how collaboration can deliver a coordinated international calendar, shared rankings, and clearer career pathways.”
• David Anjou (Australia’s NPL): “Unity and pathways are the lifeblood of any sport… Together we will bring the world’s best to Australia, showcase our own homegrown talent abroad, and ensure that players everywhere have the support and clarity they need.”

What It Means Going Forward

The alliance signals a pivot for pickleball at the highest levels. Until now, professional play has been fractured across regions and organizations, with little coordination and few true international pathways.

With a unified calendar, global rankings, and shared commercial backing, the sport appears to be moving toward the same kind of structure seen in tennis and golf—where national tours, governing bodies, and international partners collaborate to create a sustainable professional ecosystem.

The 2026 year may be the biggest and brightest for professional pickleball worldwide.

Photo Credit on header graphic: APP Tour