Pickleball 

HCM CITY — The Asia Open Pickleball Championships (AOPC) 2026 Fitgon Cup will gather the continent's strongest players for some tough matches in HCM City this July, marking the second time the competition will be held in Việt Nam.

As an official Asia Federation of Pickleball event, the tournament will deliver not only a huge bonus, but also points for world rankings to players with high results.

At a press conference on May 27, the organising board said the competition is coming home to Việt Nam again, after its successful debut in HCM City in 2024.

Registration for the tournament is open until July 2. Organisers said they believe Asia's strongest players will take part in the event, which will be held from July 9 to 12 at the Swin Pickleball court in Tân Hưng Ward.

Trương Vinh Hiển, one of the best Vietnamese players currently, attended the conference and confirmed his participation.

Athletes will compete in three age groups (19+, 35+ and 45+) in men's and women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories at three different levels: intermediate, advanced and open.

Prizes to be awarded add up to a total of US$55,000. Each singles champion can receive up to $5,000, while the doubles champions receive up to $10,000.

In the 2024 edition, more than 400 competitors from 20 countries and regions participated in a vibrant tournament, which was the first ever international pickleball event in Việt Nam.

Organisers said the tournament’s success helped place Việt Nam on the global pickleball map and also demonstrated the sport’s growing popularity in the country, leading to the decision to select HCM City as the host venue for the 2026 edition.

AOPC 2026 is considered an important step in Việt Nam's pickleball development strategy. Many other events, such as the Asian Cup, Asian Pickleball Junior Open and Asian Pickleball University Championships, will be held in Việt Nam in the future. 

Meanwhile, the Việt Nam Pickleball Grand Tour series is also being planned, combining sport, tourism and community activities.

By holding large-scale tournaments like the AOPC, organisers hope to promote sporting competition, contribute to spreading a healthy lifestyle and encourage people to participate in regular sports training, thus improving public health and building a positive sports culture in Việt Nam.

The tournament is organised by the HCM City Tennis and Pickleball Federation in collaboration with partners. VTVCab is the media and production partner, and will broadcast all matches across multiple platforms.

Pickleball is an accessible sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, suitable for a wide range of ages from youth to middle-aged and seniors. — VNS