The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) is coming to Asia—and it is not arriving quietly.
The APP, which bills itself as the official tour of pickleball, has unveiled the APP Asia Tour, a six-event circuit spanning six countries and regions across the continent in 2026. The tour visits Malaysia, China, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, India, and Vietnam, with full dates to be confirmed, and marks the first time the American-based tour has launched a dedicated Asian pro circuit.
The schedule is as follows:
- APP Penang Open in Malaysia in July
- APP China Open and APP Bangkok Open in October
- APP Taipei City Open and APP India Open in November
- APP Ho Chi Minh City Open in Vietnam in December.
The tour also deepens the APP’s existing partnership with D-Joy Pickleball, the leading pickleball entity in Vietnam, under the Global Pickleball Alliance event calendar. Three of D-Joy’s 2026 tournaments—in June, September, and November—will officially be “Powered by the APP.”
APP founder Ken Herrmann was unambiguous about what the announcement represents.
“This is another monumental day for the APP, and for our pickleball friends across the globe,” Herrmann said. “There has been an unbelievable growth in participation across Asia, and we’re proud to further establish our roots with the APP Asia Tour. We’re proud to serve these players, provide unmatched resources and experiences, and bring another competitive platform to aspiring pro players across the globe.”
The numbers behind the expansion tell their own story. According to YouGov data, close to 812 million people across Asia have played pickleball at least once, with 282 million playing at least once monthly. Players aged 18 to 35 represent the sport’s most active demographic on the continent—mirroring trends in the United States and pointing to a generation of potential professional talent that the APP is now positioning itself to develop and showcase.
APP Brings in Industry Veterans for APP Asia Tour
To lead that effort, the APP has brought in two industry veterans. Yui See Lau joins as Senior Vice President of Global Expansion, bringing more than a decade of experience in sports, entertainment, and international brand development. She co-founded the Canadian National Pickleball League—now in its fourth season—and previously served as DUPR’s director in China, scaling the rating platform into the country’s most widely used system. Yuki Chen joins as Director of Global Expansion, reporting to Lau. Chen previously served as DUPR China’s project manager and ran the DUPR Tournaments WeChat Mini-Program, which grew to serve over 20,000 players and more than 500 clubs across China.
“It is both an honour and a privilege to join the longest-standing professional pickleball tour in the world and to lead its global expansion efforts in Asia,” Lau said. “I look forward to drawing on my experience growing the game internationally to ensure the APP’s world-class standards continue to define the sport on a global stage.”
Chen was equally emphatic. “We are incredibly excited to support APP Tour’s international expansion. We believe deeply in its inclusive, collaborative approach to growing the sport and welcome the opportunity to build on the strong legacy established in the United States and bring it to the global stage.”
The APP Asia Tour sits within the broader framework of the Global Pickleball Alliance, a coalition designed to align professional pickleball organisations, harmonise competitive structures and world rankings, and create the sport’s first truly connected international calendar. Major GPA events have already taken place in Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, and India in 2026.
Six events. Six countries. One unmistakable direction.
