Major League Pickleball（MLP) will hold, in step with the 2026 season, an amateur regional tournament series, “MiLP (Minor League Pickleball) Regional Showdowns,” in nine U.S. cities. This is not merely a grassroots tournament but is designed as anofficial route where division champions earn a berth in the national championship. (Source: The Dink Pickleball）
2026 MiLP Regional Showdown schedule
| Host city | Schedule | Link to the MLP stop |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | May 22-25 | MLP Dallas |
| Columbus, OH | May 28-31 | MLP Columbus |
| Austin, TX | June 11-14 | MLP Austin |
| New York, NY | June 25-28 | MLP New York |
| Newport Beach, CA | July 16-19 | MLP Newport Beach |
| Chicago, IL | July 23-26 | MLP Chicago |
| Kansas City, MO | July 26 | – |
| San Diego, CA | August 13-16 | MLP San Diego |
| Jacksonville, FL | August 15-16 | – |
How the MiLP Regional Showdown works
Team format
MiLP competes in a “team format” like the professional MLP.
- Four-player mixed (MiLP standard): a four-player team of 2 women and 2 men
- Three-player (MiLP v3): a three-player team format split by gender
The road to the national championship
The champion team in each division is guaranteed a spot in the national championship (MiLP National Championship). This puts in place a mechanism where regional grassroots tournaments function as an “official route” to the top.
Why this mechanism matters
Until now, amateur pickleball competition consisted of independent tournaments springing up all over. By MLP consolidating them into a series called the Regional Showdown:
- Nationwide competitive standards become more uniform
- Amateur players gain a “goal” (a berth in the national championship)
- It functions as a “cultural venue” where sponsors, spectators, and media gather
Already,the US Open 2026 is adding a new division for players 50 and over, and the diversification of the competitive base is advancing. The MiLP Regional Showdown serves as the entry to that broadened path, providing motivation for beginner-to-intermediate players.
Impact on Japan: will a Regional Showdown-style format come to Japan someday?
The Picklr announced a 20-facility rollout in Japanin 2026.A western-Japan flagship facility in Osakaalso opened. Along with the enrichment of facilities, once the playing population passes a certain scale, there is ample foundation for a Japan-original Minor League-style series tournament to emerge.
Sources: Major League Pickleball official / The Dink Pickleball
The Dink Pickleball (April 6, 2026)
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