Major League Pickleball Heads to Austin for Thrilling 2026 Season Showdown

Exciting Matches Await in Austin

This week, Major League Pickleball (MLP) arrives in Austin, Texas, for the fourth event of the 2026 season, featuring 11 teams vying for crucial standings points starting Thursday. The competition will consist of two groups engaging in round-robin matches, with the top four teams from each group advancing to the placement matches on Sunday. The champions of each group will face off in the final, while the other qualifiers will participate in classification games.

The Columbus Sliders, the defending champions, lead Group A, competing against the California Black Bears, Carolina Hogs, Miami Pickleball Club, and SoCal Hard Eights. With a star-studded lineup including Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, Parris Todd, and Danni-Elle Townsend, Columbus is favored to dominate the group, leaving the race for second place open for competition. The SoCal Hard Eights, featuring Armaan Bhatia, Will MacKinnon, Meghan Dizon, and rising star Cailyn Campbell, are well-positioned to contend for that spot.

Meanwhile, the Miami Pickleball Club will make their first appearance since trading young talent Nico Acevedo. Veteran Dylan Frazier joins a team that includes Yuta Funemizu, Isabella Dunlap, and Estee Widdershoven, as they aim for a playoff spot.

In Group B, the New Jersey 5s stand out as the team to beat, boasting a formidable roster with Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Will Howells, and Noe Khlif. They are expected to be strong contenders for the title. The Dallas Flash and Texas Ranchers are anticipated to battle for the second position in this group, with Dallas relying on Tyra Black, Brooke Buckner, JW Johnson, and Augie Ge, while Texas introduces newly acquired Acevedo alongside Lea Jansen, Layne Sleeth, and Eric Oncins.

Completing the group are the Atlanta Bouncers, Bay Area Breakers, and Florida Smash. Atlanta hopes to regain their form after a rocky start, while Bay Area and Florida aim to surprise their stronger opponents. The tournament is likely to culminate in a thrilling final between Columbus and New Jersey, with the 5s enjoying a slight edge due to their depth in doubles and DreamBreaker formats. With playoff spots and season points at stake, Austin promises to be a pivotal weekend in the MLP season.