The 2026 Pickleball World Championships crowned a new set of champions — and no two of them swing the same paddle. From Anna Leigh Waters’ new Franklin to a 17-year-old’s JOOLA, here’s exactly what every Worlds winner played, with a link to the full breakdown on each. — Jason Regan, Regan Family Pickleball
What paddles did the 2026 Worlds champions use?
- Anna Leigh Waters (singles, women’s doubles, mixed) — Franklin Aurelius, after her 2026 switch from Paddletek.
- Ben Johns (mixed doubles) — JOOLA Perseus Pro V (16mm).
- JW Johnson (men’s doubles) — Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X.
- Anna Bright (women’s doubles) — JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V.
- John Lucian Goins (men’s singles) — JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus 3S (16mm).
- Tama Shimabukuro (men’s doubles, age 15) — his sponsor setup isn’t officially confirmed yet; we’ll update this once it is.
The one takeaway
JOOLA and Franklin split most of the golds, but the real lesson is that the “best” paddle is the one that fits your game — Waters’ power Franklin and Goins’ control-first JOOLA couldn’t be more different. Not sure where you land? Start with our what paddle do the pros use hub, then read the full 2026 Worlds recap and catch every tour storyline at Pro Corner.
