The Association of Pickleball Players (APP), the world's first professional pickleball tour and leading international authority in the sport, and Pickleball England, the sport’s national governing body in England, today announced an expanded strategic partnership. Together, the two entities will join forces to accelerate pickleball's growth throughout England and play leading roles in shaping the sport's international ecosystem and long-term development.

Building upon a successful relationship that began in 2022, the enhanced partnership will see the APP and Pickleball England collaborate across tournament operations, athlete development, event promotion, international competitive opportunities, and grassroots initiatives.  

As the hallmark of the partnership, the 2026 English Open Powered by the APP will continue to serve as one of the premier international pickleball events outside North America. Scheduled for August 11-16 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, the tournament is expected to welcome a record-breaking 3,000+ players from over 45 countries, making it the largest indoor pickleball event in the world. The six-day competition will feature approximately 120 divisions across age and skill, including junior, wheelchair, para and Open categories, along with the Unity Cup team competition and a $50,000 prize purse. The event will be contested across 60 dedicated indoor courts inside a purpose-built venue spanning three interconnected exhibition halls within the NEC.

"The English Open has become one of the standout international events in pickleball and reflects the tremendous growth of the sport across England and Europe,” said APP Founder Ken Herrmann. “As the APP continues to expand its international relationships, we are focused on working with strong national organizations that share our commitment to growing the game and creating meaningful opportunities for players. We are excited to continue building our relationship with Pickleball England and supporting the next stage of the English Open's development."

"Our partnership with the APP has helped strengthen the international profile of the English Open and create opportunities for players to engage with the sport at the highest level,” said Karen Mitchell, chair and co-founder of Pickleball England. “As we move to the NEC and prepare to welcome more than 3,000 players from around the world, we are focused on delivering an exceptional event experience while continuing to grow pickleball throughout England. We look forward to working with the APP to support those ambitions and further enhance the English Open's position on the international calendar.”

Additional information regarding the 2026 English Open Powered by the APP, including registration, spectator experiences, and tournament programming, is available through Pickleball England and will continue to be announced in the coming months.

More information on APP events is available via TheAPP.global. The pickleball community can stay in the know on the latest APP updates by following the APP’s Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedInchannels.

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