The World Pickleball League is a soon to be held pickleball tournament that will be held in India. The tournament is an initiative by former Indian tennis player Gaurav Natekar. It is likely to be held in late 2024 or early 2025.
Natekar’s company, Natekar Sports and Gaming (NSG) in association with Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India (SETVI) have envisioned the first ever pickleball league of India. The tournament has also signed a 10-year deal with All India Pickleball Association, which is the official governing body of the sport in the country. The All India Pickleball Association is in turn a member of the International Pickleball Federation which further strengthens the case of the forthcoming World Pickleball League.
Similar to a couple of other sporting leagues in India (cricket and kabaddi), the World Pickleball League will feature city-based franchise teams. A total of six such teams are likely to feature in the inaugural edition of the event. Each team will have a mix of Indian and International players, and a few junior players. The total number of players in a team should be minimum five and maximum eight.
The World Pickleball League will provide a notable platform for over 35,000 amateur players who are registered with the All India Pickleball Association. It is expected to reach the count of one million by 2029. To ensure that the World Pickleball League caters a larger audience, team owners of the competition can feature Indian movie stars and leading industrialists and entrepreneurs.
Organizers of the tournament are yet to confirm and finalize the details of the format and the prize money of the competition.
