What’s the Score?
London, United Kingdom – The global pickleball map is getting a major redraw. While the sport has matured in North America, the vast region of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) has remained a fragmented frontier of localised growth. Enter TOPSERIES Pickleball, a new organisation launching an international professional circuit designed specifically to unify these territories. Led by CEO Adel Aref, the Europe-based startup aims to introduce a single ranking system, a standardised calendar, and high-quality media production to a region ripe for professionalisation.
Hit it deeper!
TOPSERIES is positioning itself not merely as another tournament organiser, but as the “structural framework” for the sport’s next era in EMEA. The current landscape in the region is characterised by organic, enthusiastic growth but lacks a cohesive professional pathway. TOPSERIES plans to fix this by implementing a “media-first” model. This includes flagship events in iconic destinations and premium audiovisual coverage starting from early rounds—a luxury often reserved for finals in other circuits.
The organization is backed by international entrepreneurs with backgrounds in sports, media, and finance, signalling a serious intent to make the circuit commercially viable. “An international circuit demands clarity, structure, and ambition,” stated José “Queco” Catalán, Head of Sport at TOPSERIES. By offering standardised prize money and a unified ranking for both pros and semi-pros, the circuit hopes to attract the best talent in the region who have previously had no central “destination” to aim for.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The launch of TOPSERIES is a pivotal moment for the sport’s Olympic ambitions. For pickleball to be taken seriously by international governing bodies, it must demonstrate a standardised, high-performance ecosystem outside of the United States. The EMEA region has the population and the tennis infrastructure to be a juggernaut, but it has lacked direction. If TOPSERIES can successfully implement a unified ranking system across such diverse political and geographical borders, it will do more than just host tournaments; it will legitimise the sport as a global discipline rather than just an American pastime.
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.