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90+ Countries Around the World Where People Play Pickleball

Est. Reading: 3 minutes

If you live in the United States, you most likely know that pickleball has been dubbed America's fastest-growing sport. But how popular is pickleball outside the country?

Well, as of writing this, Pickleball is now being played in over 90 countries worldwide. Thanks to the efforts of international pickleball organizations and countries that welcome the sport with open arms,

With that, check the list below and see if your country is one of them.

When Did Pickleball Start in the US?

Pickleball started in the US in the summer of 1965 and was invented by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. At that time, Pritchard and Bell went to the former's home in Bainbridge Island, Washington, after playing golf. After noticing their families were bored, the golf buddies went to an old badminton inside the property. But because there were no available rackets, they improvised and used a perforated plastic ball.

The following weekend, McCallum joined them and enjoyed the new game. Soon after, he, Pritchard, and Bell created the basic rules and eventually called the sport "pickleball." Pritchard, who was then a congressman, promoted the sport in his political and fundraising events. The first known pickleball tournament in the world was held at South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington.

And as they say, the rest is history.

What Countries are Members of the International Pickleball Federation?

As of this posting, the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) has 79 member countries, eight of which are full members. They are:

  1. Austria
  2. Denmark
  3. Ghana
  4. Iran
  5. Iraq
  6. Israel
  7. Mexico
  8. Russia

Below is the complete list of countries that are provisional members of the IPF:

  1. Argentina
  2. Armenia
  3. Aruba
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Belgium
  6. Belize
  7. Bermuda
  8. Bolivia
  9. Brazil
  10. Burkina Faso
  11. Cameroon
  12. Cayman Islands
  13. Chile
  14. China
  15. Colombia
  16. Costa Rica
  17. Croatia
  18. Denmark
  19. Dominican Republic
  20. Ecuador
  21. Egypt
  22. Estonia
  23. Finland
  24. Gambia
  25. Georgia
  26. Germany
  27. Greece
  28. Guam
  29. Guatemala
  30. Hong Kong
  31. India
  32. Indonesia
  33. Ireland
  34. Isle of Man
  35. Italy
  36. Jordan
  37. Kenya
  38. Lebanon
  39. Lithuania
  40. Malaysia
  41. Malta
  42. Nepal
  43. Netherlands
  44. New Zealand
  45. Nigeria
  46. Northern Ireland
  47. Norway
  48. Pakistan
  49. Palentine
  50. Panama
  51. Peru
  52. Poland
  53. Republic of Korea
  54. Rwanda
  55. Samoa
  56. Serbia
  57. Singapore
  58. South Africa
  59. Sweden
  60. Switzerland
  61. Taiwan
  62. Tanzania
  63. Tonga
  64. Trinidad and Tobago
  65. Turkey
  66. Uganda
  67. United Arab Emirates
  68. Uruguay
  69. United States
  70. Venezuela
  71. Vietnam

What Countries Are Members of the World Pickleball Federation?

As of December 2023, the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) has 49 countries from 6 continents as members. Below is the complete list in alphabetical order:

  1. Argentina
  2. Armenia
  3. Austria
  4. Australia
  5. Belgium
  6. Brazil
  7. China
  8. Czech Republic
  9. Dominican Republic
  10. Egypt
  11. England
  12. France
  13. Georgia
  14. Germany
  15. Greece
  16. Guatemala
  17. Hong Kong China
  18. Hungary
  19. India
  20. Indonesia
  21. Iran
  22. Iraq
  23. Ireland
  24. Italy
  25. Korea
  26. Luxembourg
  27. Mexico
  28. Nepal
  29. Nigeria
  30. Pakistan
  31. Palestine
  32. Peru
  33. Philippines
  34. Poland
  35. Portugal
  36. Russia
  37. Scotland
  38. Serbia
  39. Sierra Leone
  40. Singapore
  41. South Africa
  42. Spain
  43. St Maarten
  44. Chinese Taipei
  45. Tonga
  46. Turkey
  47. Uganda
  48. Ukraine
  49. Venezuela

Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Thailand are not (yet) members of the IPF and WPF. Nonetheless, we know that pickleball is played in several indoor courts in Riyadh. Japan and Thailand are members of the AFP (Asia Federation of Pickleball), along with Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

We will update the lists above as soon as new entries become available.

How Many Countries Do People Play Pickleball In?

As you can see from the two lists above, more than 30 countries are now members of the IPF and WPF.

If you include Saudi Arabia and Thailand, there are currently 91 countries where people play pickleball.

Pickleball is a sport for all ages and fitness levels. It's only a matter of time until the rest of the countries in the world end up on these lists.

Pickleball Is Going Global

Without a doubt, pickleball is spreading worldwide, and it seems like nothing can slow it down.

If you live in a country where people play pickleball, have you tried it? How was your experience? Do you still plan to continue?

And if pickleball has not yet made its way to your country, would you like to give it a shot? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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Picklepow started when a group of friends came together over a shared bond – Pickleball! After playing for years, they created a resource to teach others and connect them to courts across the country. Need a new hobby? You might've just found it!
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