Pickleball is no longer just America’s fastest-growing sport—it’s quickly becoming Asia’s favorite too. New research from UPA Asia and YouGov Singapore reveals that 1.9 billion people across Asia have heard of pickleball, and 812 million have played it at least once.

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A Closer Look at the Numbers

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To put that in perspective, the entire U.S. population is around 340 million. That means more people in Asia have played pickleball than the total number of people living in the United States. 

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Even more impressive? 282 million people in Asia play pickleball at least once a month. That’s the equivalent of more than 80% of the U.S. population engaging with the sport regularly.

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The findings are based on responses from over 14,000 participants in 12 Asian markets, including: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Here’s How Some of the Top Countries Stack Up:

• India takes the crown in total number of monthly players with 178 million.
  
  

• China follows with 60 million monthly players.

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• Vietnam leads in awareness and participation percentages: 88% of people know about pickleball and 37% play the sport regularly. Vietnam boasts over 16 million frequent players.

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• Malaysia ranks #3 in countries with the most DUPR users. 

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What Does This Mean for Pickleball's Global Future?

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The opportunities are huge for brands, federations, and facilities investing in pickleball growth:

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• Massive market potential: With hundreds of millions of regular players, the demand for courts, coaches, and equipment is booming across Asia.
  
  
• Global expansion strategies: Organizations looking to globalize their pickleball presence need to focus on Asia now more than ever.
  
  
• Cultural crossover: Pickleball’s accessibility and low entry cost make it ideal for densely populated, fast-growing regions.

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Pickleball isn’t just a U.S. phenomenon—it’s a global movement. With hundreds of millions of players across Asia playing the sport, this isn’t just a trend—it’s a cultural shift. From Vietnam to India, Asia is not only embracing pickleball, it’s shaping its future. Whether you’re a brand, athlete, investor, a player seeking a higher pickleball rating, or fan, the next era of pickleball is being written in Asia.