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

Pickleball’s biggest events mix elite pros with thousands of amateurs, on courts most fans can walk right up to. Whether you want to watch the best in the sport or compete yourself, here is a look at the biggest tournaments in the US and how to take part.

What is the largest pickleball tournament?

The US Open Pickleball Championships. Held each spring at East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida, usopenpickleball.com describes it as the biggest pickleball party in the world, and the event’s own numbers back that up.

What the US Open looks like:

• More than 55,000 fans and 3,750 players took part in the 2026 event, from all 50 states and 53 countries, according to usopenpickleball.com.
• 65 courts at East Naples Community Park host the week of matches, per usopenpickleball.com.
• Pro and amateur play run side by side, with amateur brackets grouped by age and skill level.
• The 2027 edition is scheduled for April 17 to 24, 2027, usopenpickleball.com shows.

The event runs more like a festival than a single match. Along with the courts, organizers fill the grounds with a vendor village, food trucks, and live music, and general spectating is free. For more on the event itself, see the guide to the US Open Pickleball Championships.

What are the other biggest tournaments?

The USA Pickleball National Championships, the PPA Tour, the APP Tour, and Major League Pickleball round out the sport’s biggest events. Each has its own format.

• USA Pickleball National Championships: The sport’s national governing body runs this championship every year. Usapickleball.org lists the 2026 event, called the Oceanview USA Pickleball National Championships, for October 31 to November 8, 2026, at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, California. It combines a pro bracket with wide-ranging amateur divisions.
• PPA Tour: Ppatour.com describes the PPA Tour as the top professional pickleball circuit, built around 20 stops a year across Majors, Cups, and Opens, with a season-long points race. Amateurs can register for divisions at every tour stop, according to ppatour.com.
• APP Tour: Theapp.global runs the APP Tour along with the APP Asia Tour, collegiate competition, and AARP-branded divisions. The organization says on its site that it is doubling pro prize money and expanding its event calendar for 2027.
• Major League Pickleball (MLP): MLP is a team-based pro league featuring rosters of top-ranked players. As of September 2026, majorleaguepickleball.co lists 20 franchise teams, with a season built around 10 regular-season events plus playoffs and a Finals. The league also runs Junior MLP and Minor League Pickleball as feeder programs.

Between the US Open, the Nationals, the two pro tours, and MLP, there is a marquee pickleball event running somewhere in the country for most of the year.

How do you watch or compete?

Most of these events are built for fans and amateur players, not just the pros.

• Watch for free: General spectating is free at events like the US Open, according to usopenpickleball.com, with paid seating for championship-court sessions.
• Stream from home: Ppatour.com lists PickleballTV, Tennis Channel, and FOX/FS1 as broadcast partners for the PPA Tour. Other tours and the Nationals also stream select matches online.
• Compete as an amateur: Amateur divisions by age and skill sit alongside the pro draws at the US Open, the Nationals, and PPA and APP tour stops. Senior players have their own age brackets at several of these events; see the guide to US senior pickleball tournaments for events built around older age groups.
• Register early: Popular amateur brackets at the biggest events can fill up fast, so register as soon as your event opens sign-ups. The guide on how to sign up for a pickleball tournament walks through the process, and many tour stops use round robin pool play; see how pickleball round robin tournaments work for how scoring and advancement work.
• Check your USA Pickleball membership: Sanctioned tournaments generally require a paid membership. Usapickleball.org prices a Challenger membership at $12 a year and a Champion membership at $60 a year; the free Casual tier does not include tournament eligibility.

For a full walkthrough of finding events near you, see the guide on how to find pickleball tournaments in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

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

What is the largest pickleball tournament? The US Open Pickleball Championships, held at East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida. Usopenpickleball.com reported more than 55,000 fans and 3,750 players at the 2026 event, from all 50 states and 53 countries.

Can amateurs compete in big tournaments? Yes. The US Open, the USA Pickleball National Championships, and PPA and APP tour stops all include amateur divisions grouped by age and skill, run alongside the pro events.

How can I watch the biggest tournaments? General spectating is free at events like the US Open, according to usopenpickleball.com. The PPA Tour also streams matches on PickleballTV, Tennis Channel, and FOX/FS1, per ppatour.com.

Where is the US Open held? At East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida. Usopenpickleball.com lists 65 courts at the venue, with the 2027 event scheduled for April 17 to 24, 2027.

What is Major League Pickleball? MLP is a team-based pro league. Majorleaguepickleball.co lists 20 teams competing across a regular season, playoffs, and a Finals event.

Do I need a USA Pickleball membership to play in a tournament? Most sanctioned tournaments require one. Usapickleball.org prices a Challenger membership at $12 a year and a Champion membership at $60 a year; the free Casual tier does not cover tournament entry.

Are there tournaments for senior players? Yes. Age-based amateur brackets are part of the major national events, including the US Open and the USA Pickleball National Championships. See the guide to US senior pickleball tournaments for events built specifically around older age groups.

Whether you want a front-row seat or a spot in the bracket, the biggest events on the pickleball calendar are built to include fans and amateurs, not just the pros. Find more tournaments near you in the Pickler Junction pickleball tournaments and events directory.

Written by the Pickler Junction Team.