Following the successful staging of the tournament in Ho Chi Minh City in 2024, which attracted more than 400 players from over 20 countries, the championship has returned to Vietnam with an expanded scale.
The tournament's return to Ho Chi Minh City reflects the continued growth of pickleball in Vietnam and the city's increasing role in hosting regional sporting events.
This year's tournament has attracted more than 1,000 players from Vietnam and abroad, competing across multiple categories for a total prize pool of more than US$55,000 (approximately VND1.5 billion). The event is being broadcast exclusively on the VTVcab sports ecosystem, including ON Sports and VTVprime.
The 2026 Asia Open Pickleball Championship – Fitgon Cup is one of Vietnam's premier international pickleball events this year. Sanctioned by the Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP), the tournament awards ranking points recognized by the World Pickleball Federation (WPF), enhancing its competitive standard and international prestige.
The Open professional division features many of Vietnam's leading players alongside top regional competitors. Highlights in the men's doubles draw include Phuc Huynh and Prycen Haas, Quang Duong and Harsh Mehta, Ly Hoang Nam and Nick Khamphi, Van Phuong and Xuan Duc, and Do Minh Quan and Mayur Patil.
In the mixed doubles Open division, notable pairings include Quang Duong and Amanda Hendry, Phuc Huynh and Vivian Glozman, and Ly Hoang Nam and Roos Van Reek. The men's and women's singles events also feature prominent players such as Phuc Huynh, Ly Hoang Nam, Quang Duong, and Roos Van Reek.
In addition to the professional Open division, the tournament includes men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles competitions for intermediate and advanced players, as well as age-group events for competitors aged 19+, 35+, and 45+.
The format is designed to maintain high-level competition while encouraging broader participation within the pickleball community.
The tournament uses the traditional 0-0-2 scoring system and does not apply the deuce rule. Intermediate and advanced divisions begin with round-robin group play before progressing to knockout rounds, while the Open professional division follows a single-elimination format with best-of-three games, each played to 11 points.
The championship runs from July 9 to 12.
