China’s growing Minor League Pickleball community will have a pathway to international competition, with DUPR and MiLP supporting the national champions’ trip to the United States.

SHENZHEN, China — November 5, 2026 — DUPR, the world’s most accurate and widely adopted pickleball rating system, will sponsor the champion teams at the 2026 MiLP China Championship to compete at the global 2027 MiLP Championships and Nation’s Cup in February 2027. The sponsorship will cover round-trip costs between China and the United States.

Taking place December 4–6, 2026, at Picklehead Oasis Club in Shenzhen, the 2026 MiLP China Championship highlights the continued growth of Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) beyond the United States. China has become the league’s largest market for events outside the U.S., creating new opportunities for players to compete, connect, and progress through the MiLP pathway.

The Minor League Pickleball Championships will bring together teams from more than 30 countries. Alongside the traditional MiLP format, with 50+ divisions, MiLP V3  and the debut of the Nations Cup.

“Minor League Pickleball is an important part of making competitive pickleball more accessible, and its growth in China shows how quickly the sport is expanding internationally,” said Cesar Clemente, VP Revenue of DUPR. “We want to give these players the opportunity to test themselves on a global stage and experience the community that makes MiLP special. Supporting the champions’ journey is one way we can help connect local competition with the global game.”

The sponsorship connects China’s domestic MiLP competition with one of the league’s premier international opportunities. By helping the winning team travel to the United States, DUPR and MiLP aim to create a clear pathway for players to progress from local competition to the global stage.

The 2026 MiLP China Championship takes place December 4–6 at Picklehead Oasis Club in Shenzhen. The selected team will complete its U.S. visa application process between December 7, 2026, and January 30, 2027, ahead of the 2027 MiLP Championships and Nation’s Cup in February 2027.

About Minor League Pickleball

Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) is the world’s largest team-based amateur pickleball competition. MiLP brings players of different skill levels together to compete in a fun, fast-paced environment. Owned and operated by DUPR, MiLP uses a four-player team format with gender-balanced doubles matchups, creating an accessible pathway for players to experience team competition, represent their clubs and communities, and progress toward regional, national, and global events.

About DUPR

DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is the premier global pickleball rating system and technology platform, trusted by the world's leading clubs, tournaments, leagues, and players. DUPR's dynamic rating system unifies pickleball across age, gender, and location by analyzing match results to accurately evaluate all players across a 2.000 - 8.000 scale. DUPR is the official pickleball rating of leagues, tournaments and clubs around the world, including United Pickleball Association (UPA), Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), Major League Pickleball (MLP), Pickleball.com, Life Time, The Picklr, National Team Pickleball League, National Pickleball League. It also owns and operates Minor League Pickleball and Collegiate Pickleball, two of the biggest amateur leagues in the sport. Players and operators can visit www.dupr.com to sign up and learn more.