I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Pickleball World Cup is the Olympics of our sport. It's the World Cup of soccer for pickleball. And this year's event in Da Nang, Vietnam delivered everything you could want from a major international competition. Countries going head to head, athletes repping their home nations, fans wrapped in their flags, an atmosphere that felt bigger than the sport itself. That's what this event is becoming, and I don't think it's slowing down anytime soon.

The whole week built to an unforgettable closing celebration in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 9,000 fans. If you weren't there, I'm going to do my best to bring you into it.

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How we got here

This whole thing started with a vision from siblings Miranda and Hercilio Cabieses of the Cabieses Foundation back in 2021. Their idea: bring countries together to compete against each other in pickleball. That vision became real in 2023 with the inaugural World Cup in Lima, Peru, where 14 countries showed up.

One year later, we were at 33 countries. Then in 2025, the event landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with more than 60 countries and 3,000-plus participants.

And now, 2026. The Heineken Pickleball World Cup just wrapped an incredible week in Da Nang, Vietnam with 64 delegations and roughly 5,000 participants competing across the National Team Event and International Tournament. As if that growth wasn't enough on its own, this year's event also set two Guinness World Records: most countries and territories represented by athletes at one host location, and most valuable trophy of its kind.

Pickleball is here to stay. I don't think anyone watching this week would argue otherwise.

Want to relive it? The Opening Ceremony is worth every minute, it's a full production capped with a live performance. See if you can spot your favorite team, country, or player.

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What went down in the International Tournament

It was a long week and a lot of pickleball. The International Tournament alone featured more than 11,400 matches across 69 categories, spanning amateur, junior, and pro divisions, all played out across 97 courts and seven venues around Da Nang.

Vietnam walked away with the most medals in this bracket, with the United States close behind and India rounding out the top three. 

Team USA's gold medal run

Once the individual categories wrapped, the National Team Event kicked off Thursday with pool play. All 64 delegations fought for seeding into a Round of 32 knockout bracket across five divisions: Pros, Seniors (50+), Masters (60+), Juniors 18U, and Juniors 14U.

I have to say, the international representation this year genuinely got me. Countries and territories from every corner of the globe made the trip, including the Cook Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Belize, and plenty more. We're at a point in this sport where players can travel halfway around the world, put on their country's jersey, and compete against athletes from places they may never have heard of before. That's pretty special, and it's exactly why I love covering this event.

When the medals were handed out, the United States led everyone with four golds, taking Pro, Juniors 18U, Juniors 14U, and Masters. Brazil finished second with gold in Seniors and bronze in Juniors 18U. And host nation Vietnam rounded out the podium with silver in Pro and Juniors 18U, plus bronze in Juniors 14U.

The crowd stole the show

Here's the thing nobody's going to stop talking about: the fans. Spectators showed up in a massive way all week, and nobody brought more energy than the home crowd cheering on Vietnam. It was loud all tournament, but the Team Final on Sunday took it to a different level entirely.

Team USA and Vietnam played that championship match in front of a sold-out stadium of more than 9,000 people, one of the largest and loudest crowds many of these athletes have ever stepped onto a court in front of.

Don't believe me? Check out the full match HERE and see the energy from the stands for yourself.

Thank you, Vietnam, for showing up and showing out. You made this World Cup one I won't forget.

What I'm watching for in 2027

If there's one event you need on your radar next, it's the 2027 Pickleball World Cup. After the growth we just watched in 2026, the organization is already looking ahead. They've partnered with UPA-A and will keep their existing partnership with DUPR going, which means even more opportunities for players and countries to compete on this stage.

If 2026 was any indication, 2027 is going to be bigger. Follow @pickleballworldcupofficial and @duprpb so you don't miss a thing on the road there.

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