The World Pickleball League (WPBL), India’s first and only franchise-based Pickleball competition, is all set to begin its inaugural season today, i.e., January 24, 2025, at Mumbai’s iconic Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium).
Every team will compete in five matches in the group round, with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals. This allows viewers to see a total of 90 matches during the course of the league. The inaugural match will be between Mumbai Pickle Power and Pune United, followed by Bengaluru Jawans vs Chennai Super Champs, making for an entertaining first day. The final will be contested on February 2, providing spectators with non-stop exhilarating pickleball action for ten days.
Notably, numerous high-profile individuals own teams in the league. Mumbai Pickle Power are owned by Swiggy and Rishabh Pant. Bengaluru Jawans are owned by Priya Atlee and Atlee. Samantha Ruth Prabhu owns Chennai Super Champs. Sudhir and Sunanda Mehta of EKA Mobility and Pinnacle Industries own Pune United, along with Ajeenkya and Pooja Patil of Ajeenkya DY Patil University and Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh. Hyderabad Superstars are owned by KLO Sports. Dilli Dilwale are owned by Ashok Amritraj, the founder of Hyde Park Entertainment, Ankiti Bose and Krishan Rattan, founding partners of Terra Invest, and the renowned Sunil Gavaskar.
On the launch of the league, Gaurav Natekar, Co-Founder and CEO, World Pickleball League, said, “As we unveil the World Pickleball League, we are introducing India to a new era of sports entertainment—one that blends fast-paced action with unparalleled fan engagement. Pickleball is more than just a sport; it’s a movement that’s uniting people across ages and backgrounds. Through this league, we aim to make pickleball not only India’s hottest new sporting spectacle but also a platform that inspires, excites, and brings communities together.”
Fans who wish to see the games live will be able to buy tickets solely through the Swiggy Scenes platform.
Where to watch:
All matches of the World Pickleball League will be broadcast on FanCode and Sony Sports Network.