APP Drops Its Biggest Schedule Yet for 2026
Pickleball fans, mark your calendars (all of them—you’re going to need the space). The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) just unveiled its 2026 schedule, and it’s their most ambitious lineup to date. We’re talking 13 nationally televised events, youth and college circuits, fan-favorite showcases, and new stops in cities like Detroit, Louisville, and Overland Park.
In short? The APP is making sure there’s pickleball action for everyone, everywhere.
Photo by The APP
Who is the APP?
If you’re new around here, the APP isn’t just another tour—it’s the one that started it all. Founded in 2020, the APP is the world’s first pro and amateur tour sanctioned by USA Pickleball. (For context, the PPA was the first private/pro-only tour.)
The APP has built a global stage for players of all ages and skill levels—pros, amateurs, college athletes, 50+ and 60+ divisions. Add in national TV coverage on CBS Sports and ESPN, youth programs, grassroots initiatives, and international expansion, and it’s no wonder the APP calls itself the “world’s first, world’s best pickleball tour”.
The 2026 Main Tour: Bigger, Louder, Everywhere
The APP’s flagship 2026 slate features 12 U.S. tournaments, all nationally televised, leading up to the APP Tour Championships in Fort Lauderdale in December.
Highlights include:
February: Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale kick things off under the Florida sun.
Spring & Summer: Sacramento, Southern California, Virginia Beach, Cincinnati, and Chicago.
Fall: Detroit, Overland Park, Louisville, and Arizona.
December Finale: Back to The Fort in Fort Lauderdale for the Championships.
These events aren’t just for the pros. Anyone can register—whether you’re chasing prize money, medals, or just bragging rights for playing on the same courts as the best in the game.
APP Next: The Future of the Game
Launched in 2021, APP Next is still the only pro development pipeline in pickleball. It’s where players under 23 sharpen their skills with APP pros while competing for prize money. For 2026, stops include Houston, San Antonio, Vegas, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Fort Lauderdale.
College Pickleball Goes Prime Time
With the APP Selkirk Collegiate Series, pickleball is officially a campus sport to watch. After a season of qualifiers, the series will wrap with the 2026 U.S. Collegiate Championships in Cape Coral, FL (March 6–8), featuring team battles, singles, doubles, and a total prize purse of $85,000.
Showcases That Celebrate the Game
APP’s Showcase Events highlight the community side of the sport. In 2026, that includes:
APP Women’s Open (Oct. 2–4, Columbus, OH): Celebrating women in pickleball while raising awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
APP Collegiate Championships: The grand finale for student-athletes nationwide.
More showcase events are expected to be announced later this year.
Why It Matters
The APP is putting pickleball on national TV, into major cities, and onto the radar for the next generation of players. Whether you’re 12, 72, or anywhere in between, there’s a place for you in this growing sport—and in the APP’s lineup.
Want in? Registration for APP events will open soon at theapp.global.
