Singapore really might just be next in terms of being the next pickleball hotbed.
That much will be proven next year when the Lion City hosts the first-ever Epic World Championship, which is a four-day tournament for amateur players with a guaranteed prize purse of at least USD $50,000.
More than a thousand players are expected to compete at the inaugural Epic World Championship, which is scheduled to take place from 30 April 2026 to 3 May 2026 at the Kallang Tennis Hub. The venue is just a stone’s throw away from the National Stadium. Unsurprisingly, Singapore Sports Hub is the official venue partner.
The prize pool, which is already at USD $50,000, is likely to increase, according to Epic Founder Victor Cui in an interview with The Business Times. That is because the prize amount will increase with every new player registration.
“The amount will escalate with every new player registration. By the time the tournament starts, the prize purse is expected to be one of the largest in amateur pickleball,” said Cui, who is intimately familiar with Singapore’s sports scene, having co-founded ONE Championship, and being a fixture at the promotion’s live events in Singapore and around the region.
Asked by The Business Times why he opted for an amateur competition instead of a professional one, Cui reasoned that he is after mass participation, which he could ensure if he puts out a tournament that is open to all.
“Pickleball is growing really fast, but I do not want this event to be in the professional space. This is about mass participation, like a marathon, or Hyrox (a fitness race), or Spartan (an obstacle course race),” Cui shared.
The Epic World Championship is also notable because it has the full support of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which is on board for three years.
