Everything you need to know about the World Pickleball League

In a country traditionally dominated by cricket, pickleball has rapidly emerged as a compelling new sporting alternative. As of 2025, India boasts a remarkable sporting ecosystem for this dynamic paddle sport, with over 50,000 players, 1,000 dedicated courts, and a burgeoning national tournament structure.

The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) solidified India’s position on the global pickleball stage by hosting the World Pickleball Championship in Mumbai during November 2024. The championship attracted participants from sixteen nations, signalling the sport’s international appeal. Strategic partnerships have been instrumental in this growth, with Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India investing in the sport’s infrastructure.

The founders of the World Pickleball League, Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, bring their sports credentials to their new venture. Gaurav Natekar was previously a top-ranked tennis player in India, winning two gold medals at the Asian Games. Arati Ponnappa Natekar also had a distinguished tennis career, reaching the #1 ranking in India and coaching the junior national team at Wimbledon.

Arati Ponnappa Natekar and Gaurav Natekar

As of now, there are 60,000 new registered players in India as of 2024, 1,000 pickleball courts across the country, 3 registered national-level tournaments, and a male-female player ratio of 65:35.

Let us take a look into the tournament.

Tournament overview

Total matches: 90

Duration: January 24 to February 2

Organised by: World Pickleball League (WPBL)

Collaboration: All Indian Pickleball Association (AIPA)

Tournament Composition: Total players: 48 selected from a pool of 75 players across 20 countries
Player representation: Athletes from 14 countries, including India, Japan, Spain, South Korea, Australia, and the United Kingdom

League format

Initial Stage: Round-robin tournament

Total matches per team: 5 ties

Total tournament matches: 15 ties

Match structure per tie

Men’s singles

Women’s singles

Men’s doubles

Women’s doubles

Mixed doubles

Tournament progression

Group stage: All teams compete in round-robin format

Qualification: Top 4 teams advance to semi-finals

Final stages: Semi-finals and championship match

Court distribution by city

Mumbai: 150 courts

Ahmedabad: 150 courts

Chennai: 35 courts

Pune, Surat, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata: Remaining 665 courts

Team configuration

Number of franchises: 6
Franchise locations: Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Delhi

Team composition: 8 players per team ( 4 female, 4 male) and mandatory inclusion of 1 Indian player per team

The Teams

Dilli Dilwale

Owned by-Terra Invest and Hyde Park Entertainment

Pune United

Owned by- Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Sudhir Mehta & Ajeenkya D Y Patil

Mumbai Pickle Power

Owned by- Swiggy and Rishabh Pant

Bengaluru Jawans

Owned by- Atlee and Priya Atlee

Chennai Super Champs

Owned by- Samantha Ruth Prabhu

Hyderabad Superstars

Owned by-KLO Sports

Brands partners

Powered by

Broadcast partner

Streaming partner

Mobility partner

Upcoming tournaments

World Pickleball League

Date: January 24-February 2, 2025

Location: Brabourne Stadium, CCI, Mumbai

Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) Nationals

Date: January 23-26, 2025

Location: Bennett University, Greater Noida

Indian Open League by Global Sports

Date: February 3-9, 2025

Location: Nesco, Goregaon, Mumbai

The upcoming pickleball events in India demonstrate the sport’s remarkable growth trajectory and its rising prominence as an increasingly mainstream competitive discipline. The World Pickleball League, IPA Nationals, and Indian Open League will provide platforms for both international and domestic talent to showcase their skills, while also serving to further popularise the sport among Indian audiences.

As pickleball continues to captivate players and fans alike, these events are set to solidify India’s position as a key global hub for the sport. The variety of tournaments, from franchise-based professional leagues to national championships, underscores the holistic ecosystem that is emerging around pickleball in the country.jo