20 April 2026 - 2026 Pickleball World Cup Vietnam – Player Applications now open

2026 Pickleball World Cup Vietnam – Player Applications now open

PNZA is pleased to announce that player applications are now officially open for the 2026 Pickleball World Cup, to be held from 30 August to 6 September 2026 in Da Nang, Vietnam. Representing Aotearoa New Zealand at the 2026 Pickleball World Cup is a unique opportunity to compete internationally, meet some amazing people and be part of a rapidly growing global sport. We encourage players from across the country to apply and be part of this journey. This prestigious international event will see countries from around the world compete, with Aotearoa New Zealand selecting one national team per division to represent the country across the following categories:

• Junior (under 18 years of age as at 1 January 2026)

• Open (all ages)

• Senior (50+ in 2026)

• Masters (60+ in 2026)

Teams will consist of a minimum of four players (two men and two women), and a maximum of eight players in Junior, Senior and Masters divisions, and a maximum of ten players in the Open division.

Calling New Zealand’s Top Pickleball Talent - PNZA is seeking committed, high-performing players ready to compete on the world stage. While there is no strict minimum rating, players are expected to be competing at or around a DUPR 4.0 or above level, or be able to demonstrate equivalent performance through tournament results and competitive experience.

To be eligible for selection, players must meet the 2026 Pickleball World Cup eligibility requirements by having a meaningful connection to their representative country by meeting one or more of the following criteria:

1. Citizenship
2. Birthplace
3. Permanent residency for more than 5 years

Applicants must also meet all of the following PNZA criteria:

1. Compete in Pickleball Tournaments in NZ.
2. Be available to participate in team training camps, dates and locations to be confirmed.
3. Return a completed PNZA Handbook Declaration by 5pm Friday 19 June 2026.
4. Be a current financial member of PNZA at time of selection, here is the link to join or email info@pnza.org.nz to check if you are currently a member: https://www.pnza.org.nz/membership-join/
5. Have demonstrated to the satisfaction of PNZA that they are not suffering any physical or psychological impairment that would prevent them from competing to the highest standard.
6. Have no pending criminal charges or convictions.
7. Have not acted in a manner so as to bring PNZA, a player or Pickleball into public disrepute.
8. Accept and adhere to all PNZA policies and regulations.

Key Dates

• Applications Open: 20 April 2026
• Applications Close: 15 May 2026
• Interviews: 20–22 May 2026
• Selections Announced: 1 June 2026
• Teams Announced: 5 June 2026

Event Format & Opportunity - The Pickleball World Cup features a dynamic team format including gender doubles, mixed doubles, and singles play, all using rally scoring to 21. Teams will compete in round-robin group stages followed by knockout playoffs. In addition to the 2026 World Cup, players will have the opportunity to participate in the International Tournament held alongside the event, providing valuable international match experience.

Financial Information - PNZA will cover each team registration fee only. All other costs, including travel, accommodation, and uniforms, will be player-funded unless additional sponsorship is secured. Estimated total cost per player is NZD $5,000–$9,000.

Junior Team Safeguarding - PNZA is committed to player wellbeing, especially people under the age of 18 years. The Junior team will only travel if a minimum of three approved adults (including both male and female representation) is confirmed, ensuring appropriate supervision and safeguarding standards are met.​​​

12 April 2026 - PNZA partners with Hello Club to Streamline Membership Management

PNZA partners with Hello Club to streamline membership management from the national to the regional level.  PNZA is pleased to announce a new partnership with Hello Club, a leading New Zealand-based membership management platform, to enhance the way the organisation manages and supports its growing community.  This partnership marks a significant step forward in PNZA’s commitment to modernising its systems and improving the experience for members, clubs/playing groups and administrators across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Hello Club is a cloud-based platform designed specifically for clubs/playing groups and National Sporting Organisations, providing tools to manage memberships, automate renewals, process online payments, and streamline communications. The platform also supports event management, booking systems, and reporting, helping organisations reduce administrative workload while improving engagement with members.  Through this partnership, PNZA will transition to a more efficient, digital-first approach to membership management.  Clubs and members will benefit from simplified registration processes, automated renewals, secure online payments, improved communication tools and a discount on their annual membership fee if the club/playing group is affiliated with PNZA.

PNZA Chairperson, Ange Brady, said the move reflects the organisation’s rapid growth and the need for scalable systems. “Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in Aotearoa New Zealand, and it is critical that our systems keep pace.  Partnering with Hello Club enables us to provide a more seamless, professional experience for our members and affiliated clubs and playing groups.  A dedicated member management system will also help reduce the time-consuming administrative burden on volunteer organisers.”  

Hello Club’s CEO, Rodd Penney, said they were excited to support PNZA’s continued expansion. “We’re proud to partner with PNZA and support the growth of Pickleball across Aotearoa New Zealand. Our platform is purpose built for racquet sports, and through our experience working with Pickleball clubs both locally and internationally, we’ve designed it to enable club growth by reducing administrative workload and allowing organisations to focus on building strong, engaged communities.”

The rollout of Hello Club will begin immediately, with further updates and guidance to be provided to PNZA members and clubs/playing groups wanting to affiliate with PNZA.

1 April 2026 - PNZA announces Partnership with Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR)

PNZA is pleased to announce a new partnership with DUPR, establishing DUPR as the official rating system for all PNZA run and endorsed events.  This partnership marks an important step forward for the sport in Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting the growth of competitive play through a globally recognised and standardised rating system.  Under the agreement, match results from PNZA events will be submitted to DUPR, enabling accurate player ratings and the introduction of official national rankings.  Through this collaboration, DUPR will provide national rankings, participation and growth reporting, and targeted marketing support for key events such as the NZ Open and other PNZA events.  PNZA believes this partnership will enhance player development pathways, improve competition structures, and align Aotearoa New Zealand with international best practice in Pickleball.

On behalf of the Pickleball New Zealand Association (PNZA) Board, we wish our members, volunteers, clubs, partners, and supporters a safe and happy 2025 festive season.  Thank you for the passion, time and energy you have given to growing Pickleball across Aotearoa New Zealand this year and we look forward to continuing this journey in 2026.  Click below to read the PNZA 2025 Year Summary.

Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) and the United World Pickleball Federation (UWPF)

PNZA welcomes the announcement from the GPF and the UWPF regarding their formal commitment to work towards a single, unified international governing body for our sport.

This is a significant and positive step for the global pickleball community. As the sport continues its rapid expansion worldwide, the need for clarity, cohesion, and consistency in international governance has become increasingly clear. A single democratic, inclusive, IOC-compliant federation offers the best opportunity to support long-term growth, deliver transparency, and strengthen Pickleball’s prospects for inclusion in future multi-sport events.

PNZA is encouraged by the decisive action shown by both organisations, including the formation of a joint task force to oversee the transition process. We acknowledge the representatives appointed to this group and look forward to understanding how national federations will be engaged as this work progresses. Ensuring that all regions and member nations have a voice will be essential to building a federation that reflects the diversity and ambition of our global community.

As the governing body for Pickleball in Aotearoa New Zealand, PNZA is committed to supporting a unification process that upholds the highest standards of governance and provides certainty for our athletes, coaches, officials, clubs, and partners. We remain focused on advocating for a structure that is fair, future-focused, and aligned with best-practice international sport principles.

We congratulate the GPF and UWPF on taking this important step and look forward to constructive engagement as the pathway toward a single International Federation continues to unfold.