Every few months, someone asks me: “So when’s pickleball going to be in the Olympics?”
And honestly, it’s a fair question. Pickleball’s blown up in the U.S., courts are popping up across Europe and Asia, and we’ve even partnered with groups mapping courts in places like Ghana and Chile. It feels like a global sport already.
But Olympic recognition? That’s a whole different ballgame.
Typically, a sport needs at least 60 nationally approved federations across at least three continents to apply. Then it needs one unified international federation, strict anti-doping protocols, and a global competition structure that meets Olympic standards. We're not there yet.
Still, we got a little closer this month.
A delegation from the Global Pickleball Federation—including President Javier Regalado—traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland, the “Olympic Capital.” They met with leaders in international sport to kickstart the formal process for Olympic compliance.
For a sport that’s struggled with splintered leadership, this was a big moment. The GPF now has 67 member countries and is pushing for unity across the global pickleball scene. They’re trying to build the kind of legitimacy the International Olympic Committee looks for.
Could it lead to Olympic inclusion by 2032 in Brisbane? Possibly. Especially since host cities can propose new sports for their own Games—just like Japan did with skateboarding in 2020. And Australia already has a strong pickleball scene.
There’s virtually no chance pickleball will be in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. But after that? A definite maybe. What happened in Switzerland shows we’re at least headed in the right direction.
And for what it’s worth, we’re proud to be part of that journey. We’re working with GPF on a global court map and continue to support their mission to grow the game worldwide.
I’ll keep watching—paddle in hand.
