Team USA successfully defended their title at the 2026 Pickleball World Cup held in Da Nang, Vietnam, beating the host nation in a decisive 4-0 final match. This global competition featured 66 countries divided into groups where top-seeded teams included Vietnam, the USA, France, England, and Spain. Despite several upsets during the group stages, the tournament showcased a rising level of international competition, with Hong Kong notably knocking out higher-seeded Spain and France to reach the semifinals. Vietnam battled through close matches against the Netherlands and Australia before being outmatched by the USA in the final.

The World Cup format included gender doubles, mixed doubles, and singles matches, culminating in a “Final Battle” tiebreaker if teams were tied after six matches. The USA’s team boasted top APP circuit players such as Jack Munro, Kat Stewart, Bobbi Oshiro, and Richard Livornese, who contributed to a dominant overall team performance. Besides the team competition, the event also held individual professional competitions across five disciplines - men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles - that featured cross-country pairings and allowed pros outside the national teams to participate due to a new partnership with Pickleball Inc.

In men’s professional singles, Vietnamese players excelled, with Hoang Nam Ly securing gold after defeating compatriot Phuc Huynh in the final. The women’s singles title went to top seed Kat Stewart from the USA, who triumphed over Roos van Reek from the Netherlands. The mixed doubles title was won by Jack Munro and Nicola Schoeman, who capitalized on early upsets to claim victory. American players similarly dominated in men’s doubles with Munro and Richard Livornese capturing gold, while the women’s doubles saw the Australian duo Selina Turulja and Nicola Schoeman take the top honors.

The 2026 Pickleball World Cup reflects the sport’s expanding international footprint and growing competitive depth, with more countries fielding strong teams and elite professionals now able to compete thanks to organizational partnerships. Team USA’s back-to-back championship underscores the country’s current dominance, but the rise of talents in Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Europe signals that the global competitive landscape for pickleball will continue to intensify leading into future tournaments, including the 2027 World Cup.