The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) and Humana Inc. have announced the 2026 event calendar for the Humana Cup, a season-long team competition for professional players aged 50 and older, further reinforcing pickleball’s global growth at a time when the sport continues to expand across Asia and beyond.
As the official healthcare partner of the APP Tour, Humana will once again support the Humana Cup, which enters its third full season in 2026. The competition is the first season-long team format exclusively for senior professional players, featuring two divisions: Champions (50 and older) and Masters (60 and older).
“We are thrilled to bring another season of Humana Cup to the APP’s competitive landscape,” said APP Founder Ken Herrmann. He credited Humana’s continued support in showcasing some of the world’s most experienced pickleball players, noting that last season’s competition came down to the wire and expressing excitement for the 2026 campaign, which will span events from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale.
The 2026 Humana Cup will be contested across seven APP Tour stops in the United States, with teams accumulating results throughout the season in pursuit of the Humana Cup title. Those events are as follows:
- 26–29 March 2026: AARP Open – Seattle
- 11–14 June 2026: APP Vlasic Classic – Cincinnati
- 23–26 July 2026: APP Chicago Open benefiting Shriners Children’s
- 20–23 August 2026: APP Detroit Open^
- 15–18 October 2026: Humana APP Louisville Open
- 12–15 November 2026: APP Arizona Open
- 3–6 December 2026: APP Tour Championships
^ Champions (50+) pros only
* All dates and locations subject to change
“Humana is proud to champion healthy aging alongside the APP through the Humana Cup,” said Angela Dean, Humana’s Director of Brand Sponsorships and Experiential. She highlighted pickleball’s role in fostering movement, connection, and joy, while noting the company’s anticipation of welcoming players to Louisville, Kentucky, Humana’s corporate hometown, later in the season.
The competition will feature six Champions pro teams and six Masters pro teams, totaling more than 150 players. Team captains are expected to draft their respective squads in the coming weeks.
At each tour stop, teams will compete in men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles in a round-robin format. The season will conclude with a final weekend at the APP’s global headquarters at The Fort in Fort Lauderdale, where the overall Humana Cup team champions will be determined. The 2025 edition of the competition featured 12 total teams, with full results available at TheAPP.global.
