Are you new to pickleball and looking to compete in your first tournament? Or are you returning to the court to defend your title or improve your game? Are you a tournament director looking to run an event? Pickleball is for all, so regardless of your skill level, you’re sure to have fun competing with pickleball friends new and old. The explosive growth of pickleball has led to an increasing slate of tournaments across the country. Set yourself up for success with these upcoming tournament schedules and tips to select competition events that fit your personal needs.
There are many considerations pickleball players could look for in a pickleball tournament. One aspect that may be important to pickleball players is the size of the pickleball tournament (which can impact the event quality and the overall experience for athletes and spectators).
How to Run a Pickleball Tournament
The Tech That Powers the Sport, Pickleball Den – Pickleball Club and Tournament Software, is a powerful and easy way for tournament directors, club managers and league managers to seamlessly organize and run events. The software automates every step of the way from the first registration to the last medal awarded. Pickleball Den is also a fully integrated club and league platform offering a seamless pickleball technology platform.
Pickleball Major Tournaments
The two major pickleball tournaments in the world are:
US Open Pickleball Championships
The US Open Pickleball Championships, held in Naples, Florida since 2016, has changed the game in terms of pickleball tournaments and continues to outdo itself every year. In fact, this premier event has more than tripled in size since its inception, which may be due to its focus on the amateur experience and welcoming location.
Hosted at the preeminent East Naples Community Park, the US Open Pickleball Championships, should be #1 on your pickleball tournament bucket list. The event is widely known as The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World™ and attracts thousands of athletes and spectators to the weeklong tournament. The US Open Pickleball Championships for the 2025 calendar year will be held April 26-May 3.
The US Open Player Lottery will take place through Pickleball Den January 8-14, 2025.
Important details to know about the US Open Player Lottery include:
- If registering for a doubles event, you must be registered with a partner indicated before the lottery closes.
- You may register any time during the Player Lottery period January 8-14, 2025. Priority is not given according to when you register.
- US Open Lottery winners will be notified by email on January 21, 2025.
- Payment is not required until the confirmation email is sent.
For more information visit https://www.usopenpickleball.com/event-guide/registration.
USA Pickleball National Championships & Other USA Pickleball Tournaments
USA Pickleball, the governing body for the sport of pickleball in the United States, organizes one of the largest pickleball tournaments in the world, the USA Pickleball National Championships. The 2024 event wrapped up November 17 in Mesa, AZ. Dates for the 2025 USA Pickleball National Championships have not been announced (as of this publish date).
The USA Pickleball 2025 online calendars provide the most up-to-date list of regional tournaments and the National Championship Series for the 2025 calendar year.
Pro Pickleball Tournaments & Events
The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) as well as Major League Pickleball (MLP) are back in action in 2025. The PPA markets itself as the pro tour where the pros play, while the APP positions itself as the pro tour where everyone plays. The PPA and Major League Pickleball (MLP) have published their respective event calendars while APP announced plans to double their event calendar in 2025.
For a complete rundown of all pro pickleball tournaments and events in the 2025 calendar year, see the list below, and check out each pro tour’s calendar online. (Dates and locations subject to change by organizers.)
- January 6-12: PPA – The Masters, Rancho Mirage, CA
- January 15-19: APP – Fort Lauderdale Open, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- January 16-18: APP – Next Gen II Las Vegas, Henderson, NV
- January 21-26: PPA – Southern California Open, Fountain Valley, CA
- January 28-February 2: PPA – Australia Pickleball Open, Melbourne, Australia
- February 5-9: APP – Daytona Beach, Holly Hill, FL
- February 5-9: PPA – Tucson Open, Tucson, AZ
- February 13-16: APP – Next Gen San Antonio, TX
- February 17-23: PPA – Mesa Cup, Mesa, AZ
- February 26-March 2: APP – Sacramento Open, Roseville, CA
- March 5-9: PPA – Cape Coral Open, Cape Coral, FL
- March 12-16: PPA – Texas Open, McKinney, TX
- March 20-23: APP – Cayman Islands Open, George Town, Cayman Islands
- March 26-30: PPA – North Carolina Open, Cary, NC
- March 28-30: APP – U.S. Collegiate Championships, Cape Coral, FL
- April 2-6: APP – Fort Lauderdale Open, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- April 8-13: PPA – Red Rock Open, St George, UT
- April 24-27: MLP – Orlando, FL
- May 1-4: MLP – Columbus, OH
- May 6-11: APP – Cincinnati, OH
- May 12-18: PPA – Atlanta Open (TBD)
- May 20-25: APP – New York City Open, NY
- May 22-25: MLP – Austin, TX
- May 29-June 1: MLP – Phoenix, AZ
- June 5-8: MLP – Salt Lake City, UT
- June 16-22: PPA – Orange County Cup (TBD)
- June 19-21: APP – Next Gen II St. Louis, St. Charles, MO
- June 26-29: MLP – San Clemente, CA
- July 2-6: APP – Newport Beach Open, CA
- July 3-6: MLP – Washington, D.C.
- July 10-13: MLP – Grand Rapids, MI
- July 17-20: APP – Next Gen Kansas City, Overland Park, KS
- July 17-29: MLP – St. Louis, MO
- July 24-27: MLP – Dallas, TX
- July 31-August 3: MLP – St. Petersburg, FL
- August 6-10: PPA – Bristol Open, Bristol, TN
- August 13-17: APP – Los Angeles Open, CA
- August 15-17: MLP – San Diego, CA
- August 22-24: MLP – New York, NY
- August 27-31: APP – Chicago Open, IL
- September 8-10: PPA – Cincinnati Cup, Mason OH
- October 3-5: APP – Women’s Open (TBD)
- October 8-12: APP – Dallas Open, TX
- October 30-November 2: APP – Next Gen Dallas, Grapevine, TX
- October 31-November 2: MLP – TBD
- November 5-9: APP – Boca Raton Open, FL
- November 20-22: APP – Next Gen II Houston, Webster, TX
- December 5-7: APP – Next Gen Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- December 10-14: APP – International Championships, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Regional Pickleball Tournaments
In addition to the pickleball tournaments outlined above, there are also hundreds of large and small competition events across the United States and around the world. Many of these other tournaments are organized by local pickleball clubs and communities. It’s important to support these local tournaments because these grassroots efforts are how the sport of pickleball will continue to grow and evolve. For instance, some of these local pickleball tournaments are organized to raise money to invest in new pickleball courts or provide pickleball equipment to schools. Be on the lookout for local pickleball tournaments near you!
How to Sign Up for a Pickleball Tournament
To learn more about local and regional pickleball tournaments, there are a handful of platforms, such as Pickleball Den, which share event information and online registration opportunities. In general, a quick online search for pickleball tournaments in your zip code or metro area will yield a collection of upcoming events you can consider for tournament play.
Pickleball Tournament Tips
Pickleball tournaments can be a fun way to test your skills on the court. However, playing competitive pickleball in a tournament is very different from playing recreational pickleball. There can be added pressure, lots of starts and stops throughout the day, and different pickleball rules to be concerned with. As a result, it is important to prepare yourself both physically and mentally if you decide to play in pickleball tournaments. Pickler is here to help with the pickleball newsletter, blogs, social media, e-books, and online video lessons to elevate your pickleball skills and strategy on the pickleball court!
