With a three-year partnership from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and over US$50,000 in prizes, the first-ever EPIC World Championship will debut from 30 April to 3 May 2026, putting Singapore at the centre of pickleball’s explosive global rise.
Pickleball is about to take centre stage in Singapore next year, as the city-state plays host to the inaugural EPIC World Championship, a first-of-its-kind global event designed exclusively for amateur players. The tournament will run from 30 April to 3 May 2026 at the Kallang Tennis Hub at Singapore Sports Hub, kicking off what organisers hope will become the premier destination event for pickleball enthusiasts around the world.
“We are in an incredibly fortunate position to join the ranks of other tier ones sports like F1 and World aquatics championship with support from Singapore Tourism Board. It is a three-year partnership that will help continue to put Singapore on a global map as a world class sport-tourism destination,” said founding partner Victor Cui, 54, whom you might recognise as the former CEO of ONE Championship. He is joined by co-founder Yui See Lau, a prominent global figure in the sport and long-time pickleball entrepreneur.
The championship has been two years in the making, led by a team of seasoned sports-business veterans and industry advisers with experience across Formula 1, American football, and global fitness ventures.
“EPIC” isn’t just a name — it’s a philosophy
EPIC stands for placing amateur players, fans, and the pickleball community at the EPICentre of everything the organisation does.
“Pickleball is one of the few sports in the world where youth and seniors can compete together. It brings friends, families and entire communities into the same space and post-Covid, people are craving that kind of social connection again,” Cui explained.
“We want to give amateur athletes the kind of world-class, professionally run experience that’s usually only reserved for elite pros.”
The Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) system, the world’s largest amateur ranking network, already tracks 1.5 million players across 175 countries, with Southeast Asia emerging as one of the fastest-growing regions. Around 20,000 new users join the platform weekly, half of them from countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Why Singapore?
Singapore was chosen as the first-ever host city after EPIC secured a three-year partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board, a move that positions the tournament alongside other major sporting drawcards such as Formula 1 and the World Aquatics Championships.
“We are in an incredibly fortunate position to join the ranks of other tier-one sports with STB’s support. This partnership will continue to put Singapore on the global map as a world-class sport-tourism destination,” he said.
Tournament Details
- Dates: 30 April – 3 May 2026
- Venue: Kallang Tennis Hub, Singapore Sports Hub
- Prize Purse: Starts at US$50,000, and increases with every new registered player, making it one of the richest prize pots for amateur pickleball globally
- Categories: Men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles and a team format based on Minor League Pickleball (MiLP)
- Expected Participants: Hundreds of amateur players from around the world
Every registered athlete will also receive a gift bag valued at several hundred dollars, featuring merchandise, gear and exclusive partner items.
How to qualify
There are three main pathways into the EPIC World Championship:
- Win a qualifying tournament — EPIC is rolling out global qualifiers where top finishers earn automatic entry.
- Receive an invitation via DUPR — the world’s largest pickleball rating system, which will invite the top-ranked amateurs rated 3.0–5.0 globally.
- Secure a wildcard — including 88 reserved spots for Singaporeans, who must hold a DUPR rating and participate as EPIC ambassadors.
- Players may also purchase a wildcard for US$888 (direct entry).
It will be a festival
Organisers are emphasising that EPIC is not just a competition, but a full sport-and-lifestyle experience.
“We’re creating a community festival with food, music, entertainment, even ideas like a pet-friendly zone with a dog food buffet,” he laughs. “It’s meant to be a weekend event where you’d bring your family and friends, whether you’re playing or not.”
Where else besides Singapore?
While the global roadmap includes expansions into multiple countries, the team is keeping its focus tight.
“Right now, everything is dedicated to making April 2026 a huge success. That first tournament sets the tone for everything that follows.”
