The Biggest Pickleball Tournaments in the US: What They Are and How to Watch or Compete

Quick Answer: The biggest pickleball tournament in the US is the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, drawing 3,450 players and 55,000 spectators in 2025, a record for the event. Other major events include the USA Pickleball National Championships, the PPA Tour, the APP Tour, and Major League Pickleball (MLP). You can watch many for free as a spectator or via streaming, and amateurs can compete in age and skill divisions, often by registration or lottery.

Pickleball’s biggest events are spectacular, mixing elite pros with thousands of amateurs. Whether you want to watch the best or compete yourself, here are the biggest tournaments in the US and how to take part.

What is the largest pickleball tournament?

The US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida. Held every spring since 2016, it is billed as the “Biggest Pickleball Party in the World” and is the largest event in the sport.

What makes the US Open the biggest:

• 3,450 players and 55,000 spectators in 2025, a record for the event.
• Players from all 50 states and dozens of countries.
• 64 courts at the Naples Pickleball Center, the venue formerly known as East Naples Community Park.
• Pro, senior pro, and amateur events, with amateurs in age and skill divisions.

The 2026 edition marked the tournament’s 10th anniversary. The US Open is as much a festival as a competition, with a vendor village, food trucks, music, and free general spectating.

What are the other biggest tournaments?

The Nationals, the PPA and APP tours, and MLP. Beyond the US Open, several other events define the top of the sport. Each has a different flavor.

The major events:

1. USA Pickleball National Championships: the official national championship, with pro and extensive amateur divisions.
2. PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association): the leading pro tour, with roughly 20-plus stops a year across the country, plus amateur divisions.
3. APP Tour (Association of Pickleball Players): a major tour with many events, using round robin pool play and recording results to DUPR.
4. Major League Pickleball (MLP): a team-based pro league format.

Between these, there is top-level pickleball nearly year-round. The PPA and APP stops also let amateurs compete alongside the pro event.

How do you watch or compete?

Spectate free or by ticket, and register to compete. The big events are accessible to fans and amateurs alike, which is part of pickleball’s charm.

How to take part:

• Watch for free: general spectating is often free at events like the US Open (with paid tickets for the championship court).
• Stream from home: major tours and events are broadcast online and on TV.
• Compete as an amateur: register for age and skill divisions, the same five events as the pros (singles, doubles, mixed).
• Expect a lottery for amateur spots at the biggest events like the US Open.
• Use registration platforms like PickleballTournaments.com. See our guide on how to find tournaments.

Competing at a big event is a bucket-list experience for many amateurs. For how to enter, see our guide on how to sign up, and find events in our tournaments directory.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest pickleball tournaments? The US Open Pickleball Championships (the largest), the USA Pickleball National Championships, the PPA Tour, the APP Tour, and Major League Pickleball (MLP) are the biggest events in the US.

What is the largest pickleball tournament? The US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, which drew 3,450 players and 55,000 spectators in 2025.

Can amateurs compete in big tournaments? Yes. Major events like the US Open and the PPA and APP tour stops include amateur divisions by age and skill, alongside the pro events. Some use a lottery for amateur spots.

How can I watch the biggest tournaments? General spectating is often free at events like the US Open (with paid championship-court tickets), and the major tours are broadcast online and on TV for viewing from home.

Where is the US Open held? At the Naples Pickleball Center in Naples, Florida, formerly East Naples Community Park, on 64 courts. It has been held there every year since 2016.

What is Major League Pickleball? MLP is a team-based professional pickleball league, a different format from the individual-event tours, featuring drafted teams of top pros competing in a league structure.

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The biggest events are open to fans and amateurs alike, which is part of what makes pickleball special. Learn to enter in our guide on how to sign up, and find tournaments in our tournaments directory.

Written by the Pickler Junction Team.