Pickleball, which has experienced unprecedented growth worldwide, is consolidating its position as the fastest growing sport globally, attracting both elite players and fans of all ages. The boom has been so significant that, according to recent data, the number of players has grown by 650% in the last decade in the United States, and the sport is rapidly expanding into Europe, Latin America and Asia.
This context of expansion reached a key moment with the celebration of the 2024 Pickleball World Cup and the World Forum of Pickleball Promoters in Lima, Peru, last October. The event brought together 32 delegations, more than 500 athletes and an audience of more than 2,000 people, marking a milestone for the international visibility of the sport. Held at the National Sports Village (VIDENA), the venue that will host the Lima 2027 Pan American Games, the event was covered live by Movistar Deportes and crowned Puerto Rico as champion, with Peru and Chinese Taipei in second and third place, respectively.
OBJECTIVE: TO UNITE AND STRUCTURE GLOBAL PICKLEBALL
The World Cup served as a platform for pickleball leaders from around the world to meet at the Promoters Forum, where they discussed the need for coordinated strategies to advance the sport. The collaboration between three main entities – Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) and the Cabieses Foundation – seeks to define a strategic direction to consolidate pickleball globally and put it on track for the 2036 Olympic Games.
At the forum, representatives identified key priorities, including the global governance of the sport, the positioning of pickleball as a competitive and professional sport, and the creation of a roadmap for its inclusion in renowned international competitions, such as the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima. Hercilio Cabieses, director of the Pickleball World Cup, highlighted the success of the event in Lima and stressed the opportunity to leverage the sport’s growing community to drive its expansion in a sustainable manner.
INCLUSION AND POPULARITY: KEY TO PICKLEBALL’S SUCCESS
For Tito Machado, CEO of DUPR, the secret to pickleball’s success lies in its inclusiveness, as it attracts people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. According to Machado, this inclusive quality allows the sport to position itself as a global phenomenon, opening the possibility of projecting it as an attractive and universal product. With a clear ambition, Machado expressed his desire to see pickleball on the Olympic stage by 2036, thus consolidating its status as a world-class sport.
This drive for global expansion includes the search for new strategic allies to join in the mission to professionalize pickleball and strengthen its impact in various regions. The leadership of the PWR, DUPR and the Cabieses Foundation represents a first step on this path, and discussions to include other partners are already underway with a view to implementing initiatives that will benefit both players and fans.
THE ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES
The ultimate goal of this partnership is to ensure that pickleball achieves Olympic recognition. At the recent U.S. National Pickleball Championships in Arizona, discussions continued on the steps necessary to make this aspiration a reality. The participation of representatives from various nations in these discussions demonstrates the global interest in structuring the sport and developing a roadmap that will allow its inclusion in the Olympic program, starting with its aforementioned presence at the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.
The road to the Olympic goal is ambitious, but the recent achievements and the joint work of these entities show that pickleball has a promising future.