Quick answer: MLP Asia 2026 is Major League Pickleball’s first season in Asia. Six teams play from November 13 to December 12, opening in Japan, with the top four reaching the December 11 semifinals. For New England fans, opening night starts at 4 a.m. Eastern.
The 30-second version
- The teams: THE DOTS TOKYO, Hong Kong Cannons, Manila Helios, Viet Panthers, Dragon Warriors (China) and Malayan Stripes.
- The headliner: 15-year-old Tama Shimabukuro, the No. 1 draft pick, who won a world title four days before the opener.
- The math: each team plays just four pool matches, and four of six teams advance.
What is MLP Asia 2026?
MLP Asia 2026 is the Asian league of Major League Pickleball, organized by United Pickleball Association Asia. It follows MLP Australia and uses the same coed team format as the U.S. league.
Each match is women’s doubles, men’s doubles and two mixed games to 11. A 2–2 split goes to a DreamBreaker, a rotating singles game to 21 with rally scoring.
When does MLP Asia play, and what time is that in New England?
MLP Asia plays six pool-play nights over three weekends, then breaks a week before the finals. The league says play starts at 6 p.m. local time on opening weekend, which is 4 a.m. Eastern in Japan and 5 a.m. Eastern in Hong Kong.
| Date | Host | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Fri Nov 13 | Japan | Tokyo vs Manila; Tokyo vs Malayan |
| Sat Nov 14 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong vs Viet; Hong Kong vs Dragon |
| Fri Nov 20 | Philippines | Manila vs Dragon; Manila vs Hong Kong |
| Sat Nov 21 | Vietnam | Viet vs Malayan; Viet vs Tokyo |
| Fri Nov 27 | China | Dragon vs Tokyo; Dragon vs Viet |
| Sat Nov 28 | Malaysia | Malayan vs Hong Kong; Malayan vs Manila |
| Fri Dec 11 | TBA | Semifinals |
| Sat Dec 12 | TBA | Super Saturday finals |
Later start times aren’t posted yet; 6 p.m. local would mean 5 to 6 a.m. Eastern. No broadcast partner was named when I checked, but MLP Asia’s YouTube channel streamed the draft live, so start there. See our how-to-watch guide.
Who should you watch in MLP Asia?
Watch the Viet Panthers first: they have the No. 1 pick and a proven domestic pair.
- Tama Shimabukuro, Viet Panthers. The 15-year-old from Honolulu went first overall in September’s auction draft. On November 8 he and JW Johnson won the Worlds men’s doubles title from two games down.
- Quan Do and Hien Truong, Viet Panthers. Per MLP Asia, they won PPA Tour Asia men’s doubles gold together in Beijing and Ho Chi Minh City this year. No. 8 pick Kaitlyn Christian adds a second U.S.-based star.
- Hong Kit Wong, Hong Kong Cannons. At the MLP Nations Cup he and Shimabukuro beat Andrei Daescu and Arwid Dahlin 11–7.
- Yuta Funemizu, THE DOTS TOKYO. He captains the opening-night hosts, a team run by broadcaster TBS and the ad group dentsu.
Connor Garnett and Riley Newman went undrafted, per MLP Asia. See Garnett’s paddle and the Worlds champions’ paddles.
How were the MLP Asia 2026 rosters built?
Each team picked three domestic players first, including a captain. The other three came from an international draft where teams bid for each pick under a US$250,000 cap covering salaries and bids.
Salaries were set by world ranking: US$25,000 for the top 20, US$10,000 for 21 to 50 and US$5,000 below that. Our U.S. MLP draft explainer covers the American version.
Why does every MLP Asia match matter so much?
Every team plays only four pool matches, two home and two away. MLP Asia awards 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for a DreamBreaker win, 1 for a DreamBreaker loss and 0 for a regulation loss.
Four of six teams advance. My read: with so few matches, the one point for a DreamBreaker loss could separate fourth from fifth.
Is there a New England connection?
Yes, a small one. The official ball is the Franklin X-44, MLP Asia announced on November 6, and Franklin Sports is based in Stoughton, Massachusetts. So every rally in Japan is played with a ball from a company just south of Boston. For live play closer to home, see our New England tournament calendar.
FAQ: MLP Asia 2026
When does MLP Asia 2026 start?
Friday, November 13, 2026, in Japan.
What time is MLP Asia on in the U.S.?
Opening night starts at 6 p.m. in Japan, which is 4 a.m. Eastern on Friday. Hong Kong’s night starts at 5 a.m. Eastern on Saturday.
Which teams are in MLP Asia?
THE DOTS TOKYO, Hong Kong Cannons, Manila Helios, Viet Panthers, Dragon Warriors and Malayan Stripes.
Who was the first pick in the MLP Asia draft?
Tama Shimabukuro, taken by the Viet Panthers. Malayan Stripes took Eunggwon Kim second and the Hong Kong Cannons took Armaan Bhatia third.
When is the MLP Asia final?
Super Saturday, December 12, 2026, after the December 11 semifinals.
