What’s the Score?
Vietnam is rapidly emerging as the next frontier for pickleball in Asia. The country is set to host its first-ever youth-exclusive tournament, the Vietnam Pickleball Open Cup Future Stars 2026, in Hanoi this January. This grassroots development push coincides with data from rating agency DUPR, which identifies Vietnam as the second-fastest-growing pickleball market in Asia, trailing only Malaysia.
Hit it deeper!
The “Future Stars” tournament is a strategic move to institutionalise the sport for the next generation. Scheduled for January 3-4 at the Happyland Long Bien Court, the event is expected to draw 400 young athletes competing in divisions from U10 to U18. The tournament adheres to Asian Pickleball Association (APA) regulations, ensuring a professional standard of play. Organisers have seen registrations pour in from across the nation—including Hải Phòng and Ho Chi Minh City—indicating that interest is not limited to the capital.
This youth movement is supported by hard data. DUPR’s recent report highlights Vietnam’s explosive growth, placing it ahead of larger traditional markets in terms of adoption velocity. The focus on integrating pickleball into school physical education programs is seen as a key driver for this success, moving the sport from a “trend” to a staple of youth athletics.
The World Pickleball Verdict
Vietnam’s dual approach—high-growth recreational adoption coupled with structured youth competition—is a textbook model for building a sports culture from scratch. By prioritising U18 players via the Future Stars Cup, Vietnam is investing in long-term sustainability rather than just short-term hype. If the country maintains this growth rate (second only to Malaysia), Southeast Asia is poised to become a formidable bloc in international pickleball, challenging the dominance of North America within the decade.
Chris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at all levels of pickleball. Chris is also an avid player, currently struggling to make the breakthrough from 4.0 to 4.5.