USA Pickleball Announces 2026 Golden Ticket Tournament Schedule that Features Tournaments from Coast-to-Coast

USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball, today released the official schedule of Golden Ticket tournaments for the 2026 season. These premier events represent a direct pathway for amateur athletes to gain priority registration for the 2026 USA Pickleball National Championships, the sport’s premier event, held annually in November.

Golden Ticket tournaments are the most competitive and prestigious stops in pickleball, offering unrivaled player experience and the opportunity to compete at some of the best pickleball venues across the country. The 2025 Golden Tickets will be hosted by USA Pickleball and in partnership with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) and two nationwide tournament directors.

“Golden Ticket tournaments are the heartbeat of our competitive pathway and a celebration of the best of pickleball,” said Mike Nealy, Chief Executive Officer of USA Pickleball. “With this 2026 Golden Ticket schedule, we’re thrilled to return to several cities and explore new opportunities throughout the country, while also strengthening our collaboration with both the APP Tour and veteran tournament directors to create more opportunities for players to earn their way to Nationals. We are excited to see you at Golden Ticket tournaments across the country in 2026.”

Only at these tournaments will gold medal winners receive a "Golden Ticket," granting them exclusive pre-registration for the USA Pickleball National Championships. The 2026 Golden Ticket slate delivers more opportunities than ever for players nationwide to chase their Nationals dreams.

"We're proud to embark upon another exciting season together with our longtime partners at USA Pickleball," said APP Founder Ken Herrmann. "The USA Pickleball National Championships is a major highlight of the pickleball calendar, a world-class, unique event that is held in incredibly high regard among APP tournament players, quite rightly. Our partnership with USA Pickleball has created the perfect pathway for players to punch their ticket to Nationals at APP event, and there's no better opportunity to earn your Golden Ticket than at one of our tournaments. I can't wait to see the competition next year."

USA Pickleball Returning Locations in 2026:

• Las Vegas, Nev. – Golden Ticket play will once again electrify Las Vegas after its memorable stop in 2024.
• Phoenix/Glendale, Ariz. – The Valley of the Sun will be home to a Golden Ticket, further cementing our commitment to pickleball in our own backyard.
• San Diego, Calif. – USA Pickleball returns to the Barnes Tennis Center, site of the 2025 National Championships, bringing Golden Ticket play to San Diego for the second year in a row.
• Colorado Springs, Colo. – Players will again gather in the scenic mountain city for a second year in a row at Peak Pickleball.

The full schedule is as follows:

2025

• Aug. 13–17 – APP Great Lakes Open – Midland, Mich.
• Nov. 5–9 – APP Mesa Open – Mesa, Ariz.

2026

• Jan. 21–25 – USA Pickleball Golden Ticket in Glendale – Glendale, Ariz.
• Feb. 18–22 – APP Daytona Beach Open – Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Feb. 18–22 – USA Pickleball Golden Ticket in Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nev.
• Mar. 25–29 – USA Pickleball Golden Ticket in Boise – Boise, Idaho
• Mar. 25–29 – APP Fort Lauderdale Open – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• April 22–26 – USA Pickleball Golden Ticket in San Diego – San Diego, Calif.
• April 29–May 3 – APP Sacramento Open – Sacramento, Calif.
• May 13–17 – APP Southern California Open – Newport Beach, Calif.
• May 27–31 – APP Virginia Beach Open – Virginia Beach, Va.
• June 3–7 – Golden Ticket – Wayne, N.J.
• June 10–14 – APP Vlasic Classic – Cincinnati – Cincinnati, Ohio
• June 24–28 – USA Pickleball Golden Ticket in Colorado Springs – Colorado Springs, Colo.
• July 8–12 – Golden Ticket – Seattle, Wash.
• July 22–26 – APP Chicago Open – Chicago, Ill.

Registration is currently open for the APP Arizona Athletic Grounds tournament. Learn more about the 2025 USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Tournaments on usapickleball.org/goldenticket.