JOOLA Backs Asia Pickleball Games 2025 With 19+ Team Prize Sponsorship
What's the Score?
The Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP) announced a major partnership with JOOLA, a globally recognised premier brand in pickleball, which will serve as the official prize sponsor for the Team Challenge 19+ Division of the Asia Pickleball Games 2025. This sponsorship means the champion team in the 19+ category will receive brand-new, top-range professional paddles used by elite players, in addition to any prize money they may win. The Asia Pickleball Games 2025 is scheduled to take place on December 13, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan.
Hit it deeper!
The partnership with JOOLA is anticipated to add significant prestige and prizes to the Team Challenge. JOOLA is a sponsor recognised by virtually every pickleball player around the world and is ranked among the premier brands in the sport today. The AFP made the announcement on a Monday, confirming the sponsorship specifically targets the Team Challenge 19+ Division. The champions of this division will not only receive financial rewards but will also take home a brand-new JOOLA top-range paddle. These paddles are described as world-class, top-of-the-line equipment, the very same high-performance paddles utilised by the world's top professionals.
The Asia Pickleball Games 2025, organised by the AFP, is set to occur on December 13, 2025. The location for the matches is specified as 2-2-22 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0063, Japan.
The tournament is structured as a team challenge and features three distinct categories based on age: Team Challenge 19+, Team Challenge 35+, and Team Challenge 50+. Eligibility for participation in the Asia Pickleball Games 2025 is strict and limited exclusively to players who possess an Asian National ID, Permanent Resident ID, or a passport from an Asian country.
The registration process for the event opened in July and will remain active until November 30, 2025. For players hailing from specific Asian countries, designated contact points have been established to streamline their registration process. Players from India should reach out to Nikhil Mathure via email at nikhil_grace@yahoo.co.in; those in Japan can contact Rika Riordan at customer@pickleball-japan.org; and players based in Korea should contact Jinmoo Heo at heoj@yonsei.ac.kr. Players from all other Asian countries have been directed to register online via the official AFP website. Further comprehensive details concerning the tournament structure, schedule, and rules are provided in the official tournament handbook. This major sponsorship highlights the increasing commitment of global brands to support high-level competitive pickleball in the Asian market.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The integration of a globally recognised powerhouse like JOOLA as a prize sponsor for the Asia Pickleball Games 2025 is a definitive signal of the tournament's increasing international relevance and the maturity of the Asian pickleball market. The AFP is not just securing funds; it is securing prestige, directly associating its premier division (19+ Team Challenge) with the highest level of professional equipment. By offering the same high-performance paddles used by professionals, the AFP is raising the stakes for regional players and signalling that the event is a legitimate platform for elite Asian talent. This kind of corporate backing is crucial for solidifying the Games' place on the competitive calendar and attracting the best participants necessary to foster the sport’s development across the continent.