MLP Orlando Preview

The last stop of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) 2026 regular season begins Thursday, July 30th. There is a ton on the line at the first pro pickleball event being held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. 

There is a ton on the line in this action packed event. Who will be the #1 seed in the playoffs? Which teams will punch their ticket to the playoffs? 

For a recap of what every team needs to make the playoffs, check out my article from the weekend:

Will the Shock or the Fives earn the #1 seed?

The Shock and the Fives both have 93 points and are fighting for the #1 overall seed headed into the playoffs. The #1 seed gets to pick their opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the playoffs, AND they get to be the home team in the first two matches throughout.

This race could come down to Super Sunday where they may play each other in the 1v1 matchup. 

The biggest storyline for this one is Federico Staksrud. He joins the Fives for the first time - where does he fit in the lineup? We will find out this weekend.

Who will earn a first round bye?

The Fives and the Shock have already earned the first round bye. The Sliders aren’t playing in Orlando, but Brooklyn and LA are. These three teams are fighting to earn a top four seed and a first round bye.

Current standings:

• Columbus Sliders - 83 points 
• LA Mad Drops - 71 points
• Brooklyn Pickleball Team - 66 points

LA and Brooklyn are in opposite pools, while Columbus will be sweating it out at home. Brooklyn needs 18 points to surpass Columbus, so they have to finish first in their group. They have not been healthy up until this point, so we will see how fit they are.

For LA, they are bringing in Connor Garnett for the first time to play mixed doubles with Catherine Parenteau. Will that help them win the pool?

There are seven teams fighting for four playoff spots

The Atlanta Bouncers and SoCal Hard Eights are at home watching Orlando with 36 points and 34 points, respectively. 

The California Black Bears, Chicago Slice, Las Vegas Night Owls, Orlando Squeeze, and Miami Pickleball Club are in Orlando, playing for their playoff lives. The Bears and Slice are in the same pool. Vegas, Orlando and Miami are in the opposite pool. 

Every match these five teams play will be important.

Top 5 matches to watch

These are my top five matches to watch this weekend:

• Thursday 6pm - Orlando Squeeze vs Las Vegas Night Owls
• Friday 4:30pm - St. Louis Shock vs Brooklyn Pickleball Team
• Saturday 11:30am - Las Vegas Night Owls vs Miami Pickleball Club
• Saturday 2:30pm - California Black Bears vs Chicago Slice
• Saturday 4:30pm - Los Angeles Mad Drops vs New Jersey 5s

How to Watch MLP Orlando and Broadcast Schedule

All matches available on Pickleballtv and the Pickleballtv App, in addition to:

Friday, July 31

• FS1 (Live) 6PM ET - 8PM ET - Squeeze vs. Night Owls

Saturday, August 1

• FS1 (Live) 7PM ET - 9PM ET - Shock vs. Squeeze

Sunday, August 2

• FS1 (Live) 12PM ET - 2PM ET