World Pickleball Championship 2026 in Bali: what we know, and how to actually be there
For the fifth time, the World Pickleball Championship (WPC) is heading to Bali. The 2026 edition lands in Sanur in September, and it is shaping up to be the biggest international pickleball gathering ever held in Indonesia.
Here is what is confirmed, what is still being finalised, and how to make it work whether you want to compete, spectate, or just be in town during the action.
What WPC actually is (and what it is not)
The World Pickleball Championship is organised by Pickleball Global — a tournament platform founded in 2018 in the United States by Jan Papi, who relocated to Bali in 2022. The series is sanctioned by the Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP) and has been held internationally since its first US edition. Bali first hosted in 2022; this year is reportedly the island's third edition and the series' fifth edition overall.
A note worth making, because the sport has not consolidated yet: WPC is one of several events branded as a "world championship" in pickleball. United Pickleball runs a separate "World Championships" event. The World Pickleball Federation has its own series. The Pickleball World Cup uses a country-vs-country format. None of these has the unambiguous claim to being the official world title — the sport is still young enough that multiple organisations are competing for that crown.
What makes WPC distinctive: continuity, geography, and ecosystem. Five editions, Bali as a recurring host, an Asia-focused draw, and tight integration with the local federation. If you want to compete in a serious international event without flying to the US, this is the one.
Dates and venue
When: September 2026. Specific play days have not yet been finalised on the official site as of this writing — confirm at wpc-series.com closer to the event.
Where: Sanur, Bali. The most likely venue is Liga.Tennis Sanur Sports Club, which hosted the 2024 edition.
Sanur sits on the south-east coast of Bali, about 30 minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport. It is the calmer, more residential side of the island — older expat community, beachfront promenades, fewer scooters per square metre than Canggu. Ideal base if you want to be at the venue without dealing with Bali's southern traffic gauntlet.
Format
WPC historically runs:
Men's, women's and mixed doubles
Men's and women's singles
Skill divisions (typically 3.0 through 5.0+)
Age brackets (open 19+, 35+, 50+, and senior categories)
Bracket-style draws managed through the Pickleball Global ranking platform
Registration goes through the Pickleball Global / wpc-series.com platforms. 2026 entry fees, deadlines and division specifics had not been published at the time of drafting — check the official site for the current state.
Who will be there
The 2024 edition drew players from across Asia-Pacific, the US, and Europe. For 2026, the Philippines has already confirmed three clubs travelling to Bali, per local press. US, Australian, Singaporean, Hong Kong-based and European players are expected in significant numbers — the WPC is the easiest route to an international title for anyone based in Asia, and the only path that does not require a long-haul flight to the Americas.
You should also expect a significant contingent of Indonesian players, including the country's emerging top tier — I Gusti Ngurah Alit Putra Hariwibawa ("Alit") and Desy Ratnasari, both Bali-based and recent international tournament representatives — and a wider expat-and-local mix.
How to enter
Register through wpc-series.com or your Pickleball Global account.
Check your eligibility for skill and age divisions — divisions can fill quickly, especially in popular age brackets.
Pay attention to deadlines. They are usually published 8-12 weeks before the event.
If you are unsure about your rating, get a verified DUPR rating before you enter. WPC and most Asia-based events now lean heavily on DUPR for division placement; turning up with a self-assessed rating is a fast way to either get sandbagged or to play out of your depth.
How to spectate
You can attend WPC as a spectator. Day passes and tournament passes are typically sold on-site; advance ticketing — when offered — comes through the WPC platform.
Practical tips for spectators:
Stay in Sanur, not Canggu, if you want a walkable or cheap-Grab distance to the venue.
Plan early-morning sessions: top matches in Bali heat tend to be scheduled before noon or in the evening.
Book accommodation now. September is peak dry season in Bali. The good Sanur hotels — Hyatt Regency, Prama Sanur Beach, Maya Sanur, plus a long list of guesthouses — fill weeks in advance when a tournament is in town.
Bring your own paddle. Even if you do not plan to play, you will end up on a court somewhere in Bali during your trip. Bali in September is not the place to discover that all the rental paddles are warped.
Why Bali — again
Three reasons Bali keeps being chosen:
The operator is here. Jan Papi's permanent move to Bali in 2022 gave Pickleball Global a real local infrastructure: relationships with venues, with the federation, with sponsors, with hospitality partners.
The federation backs it. The IPF and the AFP have positioned the WPC as an anchor event in their international calendar — the kind of recurring tournament that builds the sport over time.
The tourism stack works. Bali combines world-class hospitality, easy international air access, and the ability to absorb hundreds of international players without melting down. Few places in Asia can offer all three at once.
A note on combining the WPC with a real trip
This is where most international competitors get it wrong: they fly in two days before the tournament, play, fly out three days later, and miss everything that makes Indonesia worth the trip.
If you have crossed Asia or come from further to play in Bali, give yourself at least seven to ten days on the ground. Use the days before WPC for training and acclimatisation — Bali in September is hot, humid, and dehydrating; you will play badly if you arrive jet-lagged on a Wednesday for Friday matches. Use the days after for the actual island.
If you do not want to organise it yourself, that is what we do.
The Sabbatical Club runs 8-day pickleball retreats in Bali, scheduled in the week before WPC Bali 2026 — six days in Amed (East Bali, jungle courts at Bali Pickleball, three days of intensive coaching with a 5.0+ DUPR pro), and two days in Canggu (premium indoor play at PickleBali Clubs). Land in Sanur for the tournament sharp, in form, acclimatised — not jet-lagged. Learn more →