Manny Pacquiao, the legendary eight-division boxing champion, announced on May 7, 2026, the founding of the Philippines' first pro pickleball league, the “Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour (MPPT).” With 8 teams, three doubles disciplines, and total prize money of over 5 million pesos (about ¥13 million), it will open in the second half of 2026 as a five-leg invitational tour. As the Philippines' pickleball population expands rapidly, it is drawing international attention as Asia's first full-scale pro league.
The full picture of the MPPT that Pacquiao is launching
The MPPT is the second pro sports league following the basketball league “MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League)” that Pacquiao launched in 2019. Recognized by the Philippine Games and Amusements Board (GAB), it has appointed Joe Ramos as CEO and Mark K. Espinosa as commissioner.
Pacquiao routinely plays pickleball with his wife Jinkee at the gym at his home in General Santos City, and his passion for the sport is genuine. He has said, “It has always been my mission to promote sports and create places for athletes to show their talent.”
Background to the league—the Philippines' rapid pickleball growth
In the Philippines, the move to renovate tennis and badminton facilities into pickleball-shared use is accelerating, and more than 50 courts are in operation in Metro Manila alone. In Japan too, afacility rushwas reported, but in Southeast Asia the Philippines' growth stands out. As a country with a rooted basketball culture, there is fertile ground where a team-based format resonates easily with local fans.
Internationally as well,The unified rulebookthe development of infrastructure is progressing, and the MPPT was founded amid rising momentum for league establishment in various countries.
The MPPT design in data
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| League name | Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour（MPPT） |
| Number of teams | 8 teams (3 confirmed, all teams to be confirmed within May) |
| Team composition | 6 players total: 3 men + 3 women |
| Event | Men's doubles / women's doubles / mixed doubles |
| Match format | Saturday = round robin, Sunday = quarterfinals to final |
| Number of legs | 5 legs (invitational tour) |
| Total prize money | Over 5 million pesos (about ¥13 million) |
| Regional coverage | Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao |
| Recognition | GAB（Games and Amusements Board） |
Reactions within the Philippines
Depth of the player pool:Commissioner Espinosa commented, “There's more talent in Philippine pickleball than you'd imagine,” showing confidence in the league's competitive level. Multiple Philippine players are ranked within the world's top 15, and domestic selection is sure to be fierce.
Sponsor expectations:Because there's a precedent of basketball's MPBL succeeding in partnership with local governments, regional companies and media are also taking interest in the MPPT. The weekend-held format has high affinity with the broadcast-rights business.
Welcomed by women players:With each team composed of 3 men and 3 women, exposure and career opportunities for women players are secured. In the Philippine pickleball community, voices have arisen that “this will change the practice environment for women players.”
Impact on Japanese pickleballers
For pickleballers in Japan, where the playing population is growing, the MPPT is noteworthy on two points. First, with a pro league born in Asia, the route for Japanese players to challenge overseas leagues becomes concrete. If linkage with the PPA Asia Tour advances, the shape of an Asian circuit spanning Hanoi, Manila, and Tokyo comes into view.
Second, it's an experiment in the business model of franchise and team systems. Amid moves in Japan too to consider a B.League-style community-based league, the MPPT's success or failure becomes a model case.
Ripple effects toward league formation in Asia
Already in Vietnam the PPA Asia Tour is holding multiple legs, and in India the pickleball federation has begun discussing going pro. The MPPT's founding is a first step in proving that “a pro league can work in Asia.”
Pacquiao's name recognition has influence across all of Southeast Asia, and similar league concepts could accelerate in Thailand and Indonesia.The national U.S. broadcast of the PPA FinalsAs became a talking point in America, the pattern of expanded media exposure serving as a trigger for going pro is now finally being reproduced in Asia as well.
Practical information for following the MPPT
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official announcement date | May 7, 2026 |
| All teams expected to be confirmed | Within May 2026 |
| Scheduled opening | Second half of 2026 |
| Days held | Saturdays and Sundays only |
| CEO | Joe Ramos |
| Commissioner | Mark K. Espinosa |
| Ball/paddle standards used | Not yet announced (to conform to GAB standards) |
| Broadcast | Not yet announced (the weekend format suits broadcast rights) |
Summary
Pacquiao's move carries great significance. Not only is pickleball elevated to a higher-level “pro sport” within the Philippines, but it could become a trigger for a chain of league formation across all of Asia. The details of team composition, prize money, and media will be worked out over the coming weeks, but the mere fact that 8 teams × 6 players = 48 pro slots are newly born in Asia is already news that Japanese players and club operators should follow.
