Mumbai, June 9 (IANS) After a landmark debut season, the World Pickleball League (WPBL) on Monday announced the dates for Season 2, which will be held in Mumbai from January 24 to February 8, 2026.
Building on the success and energy of its inaugural edition, WPBL will once again bring together elite players from across the world, high-profile franchise owners, and an evolved matchday experience that fuses sport and entertainment in equal measure.
The league’s first season, hosted at the historic Cricket Club of India, featured athletes from 14 countries, a first-of-its-kind 15-minute match format, Hawk-Eye officiating, and franchise owners ranging from Swiggy to stars like Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Atlee & Priya, Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh, Jackky Bhagnani, Rishabh Pant, and Rakul Preet Singh.
Gaurav Natekar, Co-founder & CEO, of WPBL, said: “Season 1 of the WPBL was a statement of intent. It showed that India is ready not just to embrace pickleball, but to lead its evolution on the global stage.
“The response and the goodwill we received from players, fans, and partners exceeded all expectations, and Season 2 promises to be bigger in every way – sharper competition, deeper storytelling, and an even stronger connection with our community. We’re thrilled to bring the league back to Mumbai, a city that gave us so much love and energy last time around,” he added.
Season 2 will see the return of marquee names, innovations, and a larger push to grow the sport at both grassroots and professional levels. The league will continue to position itself as a bold, future-facing sportainment platform for one of India’s and the world’s fastest-growing sports.
Further announcements will follow in the coming weeks.
The World Pickleball League (WPBL), promoted by Natekar Sports and Gaming, is India’s premier franchise-based pickleball league. Founded by former India’s No. 1 tennis players Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, WPBL successfully launched Season 1 in 2025 with six teams and continues to drive the sport’s growth across the country.
Backed by Sony Corporation and working closely with the All-India Pickleball Association (AIPB) along with the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) in the USA, WPBL is committed to building a vibrant, community-driven pickleball ecosystem.
–IANS
bsk/
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
