What Is the PPA Tour in Pickleball?

The PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association Tour) is the leading professional pickleball tour, hosting the sport's premier tournaments and featuring the top-ranked professional players competing across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles divisions. It's widely regarded as the most prominent stage in competitive pickleball, drawing the largest fields of elite talent, major sponsorships, and broadcast coverage.

What the PPA Tour Does

The PPA Tour runs a season-long calendar of marquee tournaments held in cities across the country, bringing together the sport's top professional players in head-to-head competition for ranking points, prize money, and tour titles. PPA Tour events are typically the most closely followed competitions in the sport, featuring extensive streaming and broadcast coverage that has played a major role in growing pickleball's visibility as a mainstream sport.

Why the PPA Tour Matters

Top professional talent: The PPA Tour features the sport's most recognizable and accomplished players competing at the highest level.
Premier events: PPA Tour tournaments are among the most prestigious and closely watched events on the competitive pickleball calendar.
Driving the sport's growth: The tour has played a central role in pickleball's transformation from a recreational pastime into a mainstream professional sport, with expanding media coverage, sponsorship investment, and fan engagement.

Note

Tour schedules, divisions, and player fields are updated regularly throughout each season. For the most current PPA Tour schedule, rankings, and event details, check the PPA Tour's official website directly.

PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP)

The PPA Tour focuses on individual and doubles tournament competition, while Major League Pickleball (MLP) offers a complementary team-based format where players compete as part of city or regional franchises. Many of the same top professional players compete across both, giving fans multiple ways to follow the sport's leading competitors throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the PPA Tour and the APP Tour?

The PPA Tour is the sport's leading professional tour, drawing the largest fields of top-ranked talent and the most extensive broadcast and sponsorship coverage. The APP Tour is a separate professional tour with its own tournament schedule. Some top players compete across multiple tours throughout a season, but the PPA Tour is generally regarded as the premier stage in competitive pickleball.

Is the PPA Tour the same as Major League Pickleball?

No — they're distinct competitive formats. The PPA Tour features individual tournament-style competition (singles, doubles, mixed doubles), while MLP is a team-based league where players compete as part of city franchises. Many top players compete in both.

Can amateur players watch or attend PPA Tour events?

Yes — PPA Tour events are generally open to spectators, and many matches are streamed or broadcast for fans who can't attend in person. Some events also include amateur divisions alongside the professional competition.

How do players qualify for the PPA Tour?

Qualification pathways and entry requirements are determined by the PPA Tour and can evolve over time. Check the PPA Tour's official website for current player eligibility and entry information.

Questions about competitive pickleball? Email [email protected].