Twenty-Six Nations Confirmed for European Pickleball Championships in Rome
What's the Score?
The European Pickleball Federation has announced a strong turnout for the second edition of the European Championships in Rome this September, with twenty-six member countries already confirming their participation, signalling the growing international presence of the sport across the continent.
Hit it deeper!
Pickleball's growth is not limited to North America; it is expanding rapidly across Europe, and the upcoming European Championships in Rome are set to be a major demonstration of this. The European Pickleball Federation has revealed that a significant number of its member countries have already committed to participating in the event scheduled for this September.
As of the recent announcement, twenty-six nations have confirmed their intention to send players to compete in Rome. This represents a broad representation from across the continent and indicates a strong desire among European countries to compete at a high level in pickleball. The confirmed list of participating nations includes: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, and Wales.
Organizers for this second edition of the championships are hopeful that even more countries will join the lineup. To facilitate participation, particularly for member federations who may need more time to secure necessary sponsorship for travel and competition expenses, the entry deadline has been extended to Friday, April 25. This extension demonstrates the federation's commitment to being inclusive and maximising the number of nations represented at the championships.
The confirmation of these twenty-six countries sets the stage for what is anticipated to be a highly competitive tournament. The championships provide a crucial platform for players from different European nations to test their skills against one another, fostering both individual excellence and national pride in the sport.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The confirmation of twenty-six nations participating in the European Pickleball Championships is a powerful indicator of the sport's burgeoning popularity and increasing organisational structure across Europe. This substantial number of confirmed countries for only the second edition of the championships demonstrates significant momentum and interest in competitive pickleball on a continental scale. The European Pickleball Federation's proactive step in extending the entry deadline to help countries secure funding also highlights a focus on accessibility and fostering widespread participation, which is essential for building a strong, unified European pickleball community. The Rome championships are poised to be a showcase of the sport's talent and growth beyond its traditional strongholds, further solidifying pickleball's status as a truly international sport. The event provides a vital benchmark for skill levels across the continent and encourages the development of national pickleball programs in the participating countries.