Major League Pickleball Heads to St. Petersburg for Crucial 2026 Season Stop
Exciting Action in St. Petersburg
This week, Major League Pickleball (MLP) makes its way to Florida, where St. Petersburg will host the fifth event of the 2026 regular season. This tournament is particularly significant as teams vie for crucial points in a tightly contested playoff race. The Florida Smash will be the event's host, taking place at St. Pete Athletic, a newly established indoor pickleball facility that opened in late 2025.
Over the course of five days, 11 teams will compete, starting on Wednesday. Due to the use of a single championship court for professional matches, the schedule has been modified accordingly. This tournament comes at a pivotal moment in the season, with three events already completed. Currently, the New Jersey 5s lead the standings with 62 points, followed closely by the St. Louis Shock at 58 points, and the Columbus Sliders in third with 51 points. The Los Angeles Mad Drops, who won the season's opening event, are in fourth place with 43 points.
In Group A, teams include the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, Chicago Slice, Florida Smash, Los Angeles Mad Drops, and Miami Pickleball Club. The Mad Drops, being the top-ranked team in this group, aim to solidify their standing. Meanwhile, the Florida Smash hopes to leverage their home advantage to improve from their current 16th position.
Group B features the Columbus Sliders, Orlando Squeeze, Palm Beach Royals, St. Louis Shock, Texas Ranchers, and Utah Black Diamonds. This group is notable for containing two of the league's top three teams, with Columbus and St. Louis expected to be strong contenders for the championship. The Texas Ranchers, currently in fifth place, also have a chance to close the gap on the leaders.
The 2026 MLP season consists of nine regular-season events leading up to the playoffs later this summer. The top 12 teams will qualify for the postseason, making each point increasingly critical as the season progresses. With the regular season nearing its midpoint, St. Petersburg could be a key location in determining playoff standings.