PPA Tour 2026: A Fan's Guide to Professional Pickleball

Last Updated: June 2026

The PPA Tour brings together the best professional pickleball players in the country for a full season of competition spanning singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Whether you're watching for the first time or a regular fan looking to follow the tour more closely, here's what you need to know about the players, the format, and where to catch the action.

What Is the PPA Tour?

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour is one of the premier professional pickleball circuits in the United States. In 2023, the PPA merged with Major League Pickleball (MLP) to form the United Pickleball Association (UPA), which now oversees professional play across both formats. The Carvana Professional Pickleball Tour — the full name of the PPA circuit — runs tournaments at venues across the country throughout the year.

Events typically run five to seven days and feature five main categories: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. The full current-season schedule is on the official PPA Tour website. Professional players compete for ranking points and prize money, while most events also open amateur divisions so recreational players can compete in their own brackets alongside the pros.

This dual structure — pro and amateur under one roof — is one of pickleball's distinguishing features. A recreational 4.0 player can enter the same tournament as Ben Johns, compete in a separate bracket, and watch the pros from the same stands. No other major American sport offers that level of proximity.

Top Professional Pickleball Players

The PPA Tour is graced by some of the top professional pickleball players in the world, each bringing their own style and strategy to the court.

Ben Johns has consistently held the top position in men's singles, known for elite consistency across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles formats. His competitive edge and adaptability have set the standard for professional pickleball at the highest level.

Anna Leigh Waters is the dominant force in women's play. Known for her dynamic play and quick reflexes, she has built one of the most impressive records in the sport's professional era. Her doubles partnerships — particularly with Ben Johns in mixed doubles — have produced dominant runs at major events.

Other notable players on the tour include:

• JW Johnson — known for calm, versatile gameplay in both singles and doubles, often partnering with his sister Jorja Johnson
• Tyson McGuffin — six career gold medals, a fan favorite for his intensity and crowd engagement
• Federico Staksrud — an elite singles competitor who has challenged for the top spot in men's rankings
• Catherine Parenteau — a consistent presence in women's doubles and mixed doubles

What to Expect at a PPA Tour Event

Most PPA Tour events follow a similar structure across their tournament week. Early days are typically qualifier and amateur play, with professional matches ramping up mid-week. Championship Sunday is the culmination — finals across all categories, the highest-stakes matches of the event.

Championship court matches are where the memorable moments happen. Close five-game matches, come-from-behind wins, and the occasional upset — these define Championship Sunday and why fans make the trip or tune in. The PPA Tour highlights key moments across their platforms so fans can follow even if they can't watch live.

Most events are fan-friendly, with spectator tickets available for individual days or full-week passes. Events are typically held at Life Time Fitness venues, tennis clubs, or purpose-built pickleball facilities.

Mixed Doubles: The Must-Watch Category

Mixed doubles has emerged as arguably the most entertaining format in professional pickleball. If watching the pros inspires you to level up your own doubles game, start with our guide to doubles strategy. The combination of men's and women's players creates interesting physical and strategic dynamics — and the team partnerships add storylines that fans follow across the season.

Catherine Parenteau and Anna Leigh Waters have been a formidable doubles pairing. At the Veolia Bristol Open, Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns achieved a remarkable 51-2 record in finals together, defeating Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson in a five-game match — one of the most-cited records in the tour's recent history. The combination of elite singles skills and team chemistry in mixed doubles produces some of the highest-quality rallies in professional pickleball.

Where to Watch the PPA Tour

PPA Tour matches are more accessible than ever:

• PickleballTV — the tour's primary streaming platform, with both free access and a subscription tier for premium content and replays
• PPA Tour YouTube Channel — live streams for select events, plus highlight reels, match replays, and player interviews
• ESPN and CBS Sports — select marquee events have broadcast deals that bring the sport to mainstream sports audiences

The YouTube channel is the easiest free entry point. Championship Sunday finals are usually streamed live and draw strong viewership. If you want to understand why professional pickleball is compelling, watching a five-game mixed doubles final is the fastest way to find out.

"I watch the PPA Tour the same reason I played — to steal ideas. The way Ben Johns uses the kitchen, the angles JW Johnson creates in singles — you can take that back to your Wednesday night open play and it actually works. Pro pickleball is more useful to watch than pro tennis because the game is similar enough to what you're playing." — Grub, Co-Founder, FORWRD

Grub on why watching the PPA Tour makes you a better player

Player Safety on the Tour

Player safety is taken seriously at PPA Tour events. Preparedness for sudden cardiac arrest is a formal part of event safety protocols — every pickleball facility hosting a tour event is required to have an accessible AED, and event staff are trained on its location and use. Creating a court safety plan with designated roles for emergencies is a standard requirement across tour venues.

How to Find Upcoming PPA Tour Events

The PPA Tour schedule changes year to year, with new venues and sponsors added regularly. The most reliable sources for current event information:

• Official PPA Tour website — full tournament calendar, registration links, and event details
• PPA Tour social media (Instagram, X/Twitter) — announcement of new events and schedule updates
• PickleballTV — event previews and broadcast schedule
• Our guide to finding and registering for pickleball tournaments

Ready for Tournament Day? Here's Your Gear

If following the PPA Tour inspires you to play in a tournament yourself, your bag setup matters more than you think. Tournament days are long — six to eight hours on site — and you're juggling paddles, balls, water, snacks, and warm layers as the day shifts. A bag that keeps everything organized makes a real difference.

The FORWRD Court Caddy ($325) is designed for exactly this use case. A dedicated modular paddle sleeve, 15" padded laptop sleeve for work-to-court transitions, YKK AquaGuard zippers that hold up to outdoor conditions, and a layout built with feedback from 500+ real players. It's the bag that holds up to a full tournament day without you having to think about it.

Want to see how it stacks up against the field? Read our full roundup of the best tournament bags for 2026 — every option compared on capacity, organization, and durability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I watch PPA Tour matches?

PPA Tour matches are available on PickleballTV (both free access and a subscription tier for premium content) and the official PPA Tour YouTube channel, which streams live matches and posts highlights and full telecasts. The tour also has broadcast deals that bring select events to ESPN and CBS Sports for broader audiences.

Who are the top players on the PPA Tour?

Ben Johns has consistently held the top ranking in men's singles, known for elite consistency across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Anna Leigh Waters dominates women's singles and doubles. Other standouts include JW Johnson, Tyson McGuffin (six career gold medals), Federico Staksrud, and Catherine Parenteau in women's and mixed doubles.

What is the PPA Tour?

The PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association Tour) is one of the premier professional pickleball circuits in the U.S., operating as part of the United Pickleball Association (UPA) formed after the 2023 merger of the PPA and Major League Pickleball. It runs tournaments nationwide with singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events across the season.

How do PPA Tour tournaments work?

PPA Tour events typically run 5-7 days and feature men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles categories. Professionals compete for ranking points and prize money. Most events include amateur divisions so recreational players can compete in their own brackets — and watch the pros from the same venue.

How can I find upcoming PPA Tour events?

Check the official PPA Tour website for the current season schedule — it's updated as events are confirmed and registration opens. PickleballTV and the PPA YouTube channel also announce upcoming events. For both pro and amateur tournament listings, USA Pickleball's Places2Play event finder is a reliable resource.