The short version of the MLP Australia schedule for 2026: the season opened in Melbourne on September 18–20, and the league’s own event art now points to Geelong on October 24–26 and a Sydney final on November 28–30. An older schedule graphic still on the same page lists different cities entirely. Meanwhile MLP Asia plays its first match ever on November 13.
If you thought pro pickleball ended when the New Jersey 5s lifted the trophy in Central Park, it did not. Two MLP-branded leagues on the other side of the world are just starting — through exactly the months New England outdoor courts shut down.
The 30-second version
- Four-event season, eight franchises, each fielding Premier, DUPR 22 and Champions 50+ teams.
- The published dates conflict. Current cards say Geelong Oct 24–26 and Sydney Finals Nov 28–30; an older graphic on the same page says Brisbane and Gold Coast.
- MLP Asia debuts November 13 — six teams across Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, China and Malaysia.
- Asia’s draft is new: a $250,000 cap paying for players and the right to pick first.
- New England angle: Franklin Sports of Stoughton, Massachusetts sponsors a Melbourne event — and these leagues play while our courts are frozen.
What is the MLP Australia schedule for 2026?
This is where it gets awkward. MLP Australia’s own events page carries two different 2026 schedules at once, and they do not agree. The older strip of graphics traces to an April upload; the detailed event cards are newer.
| Older strip (April art) | Current event cards |
|---|---|
| Melbourne — Sep 18–20 | Melbourne — Sep 18–20 (agrees) |
| Brisbane — Oct 9–11 | Victoria / Geelong — Oct 24–26, DINX Pickleball Club |
| Gold Coast — Nov 20–22 | — not listed — |
| Sydney — Nov 27–29 | Sydney, The Finals — Nov 28–30, PicklePoint, Milperra |
Only the Melbourne opener matches. Treat the dated event cards as current and check the league site before setting a reminder. One more thing worth untangling: the Melbourne Pickleball Cup, November 13 and 16, also sits on that page, but it is a PPA Tour Australia event, not MLP — a distinction we walk through in PPA Tour vs. MLP.
The structure is settled. Eight franchises, down from twelve, each carrying a Premier roster of two men and two women plus DUPR 22 and Champions 50+ sides, and more than $200,000 in Premier prize money. The format is the one you know from Major League Pickleball: women’s doubles, men’s doubles, two mixed games, and a DreamBreaker at 2–2. Bondi defends.
What is MLP Asia and how is its draft different?
MLP Asia has never played a match. That changes November 13, with six franchises: China’s Dragon Warriors, the Hong Kong Cannons, Malaysia’s Malayan Stripes, the Philippines’ Manila Helios, Team Tokyo and Vietnam’s Viet Panthers.
Rosters run six deep — three domestic players chosen first, then three international picks. The draft mechanism is the interesting part, and it is not how the American MLP draft works. Each team had a $250,000 cap covering both salaries and bidding, with every round opening as an auction for pick order. Salaries were fixed in advance by world ranking: $25,000 for a top-20 player, $10,000 for 21–50, $5,000 below that. A front office was not just choosing a player — it was deciding how much to burn for the right to choose.
Tama Shimabukuro went first overall to the Viet Panthers; Connor Garnett and Riley Newman went undrafted. Pool play runs as six home match nights over three weeks, semifinals December 11, final December 12. The playoff host is not announced.
Why should a New England player care?
A local company is on the signage. The Melbourne Pickleball Cup is presented by Franklin Sports — headquartered in Stoughton, Massachusetts, the same company that built the instrumented ball for USA Pickleball’s spin-rate test.
The timing is ours. These seasons run late October into mid-December, precisely when outdoor play ends here. When we counted our court directory, most New England towns with any indoor option have exactly one venue. Winter is when you watch more than you play.
And it is breakfast viewing, not a 2 a.m. alarm. Sydney in late November sits about 16 hours ahead of Eastern; Hong Kong and Manila about 13, Tokyo about 14. A 7 p.m. session in Hong Kong is roughly 6 a.m. here the same morning. Start times are not published yet — but the pattern favours us. We will pick up anything worth watching in The Pro Corner.
Frequently asked questions
When does the MLP Australia 2026 season start and finish?
It opened in Melbourne on September 18 to 20 and finishes with the Sydney Finals on November 28 to 30 at PicklePoint in Milperra, according to the league’s current event cards.
How many teams are in MLP Australia?
Eight franchises, down from twelve in 2025. Each one fields a Premier team of two men and two women, plus DUPR 22 and Champions 50+ sides.
When is the first MLP Asia match?
November 13, 2026. Pool play runs as six home match nights over three weeks, with semifinals on December 11 and the championship on December 12.
Which countries have MLP Asia teams?
Six markets: China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan and Vietnam.
Can Americans play in MLP Australia?
Only in limited numbers. Premier rosters may carry a maximum of one international player, which keeps the league focused on Australian and New Zealand talent.
Sources and attribution: schedule, venues, franchise structure and 2025 results verified directly against Major League Pickleball Australia’s events page and league homepage, including its published event graphics. Draft results, roster rules, prize money and the MLP Asia auction format were reported by Erik Tice for The Dink on September 17, 2026. Time-zone figures account for Australian daylight saving; confirm exact start times with the leagues.