The Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour (MPPT) plays its inaugural leg on October 3 and 4, 2026, at PCPH Pampanga in Angeles City. PCPH Pampanga and Pampanga Chefs will host the first stop of the league founded by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
Detail | Info |
Dates | October 3 and 4, 2026 |
Venue | PCPH Pampanga |
Address | Friendship Highway, Angeles City, Pampanga |
Teams | 12 founding teams |
Prize | PHP 1 million for the winning team of each leg |
Sanctioning body | Games and Amusement Board (GAB) |
Pampanga Gets the Opening Leg
PCPH Pampanga announced the hosting duties in a Facebook post on August 30. The post credits Pampanga Chefs, under owner Amiel Carbonell Sarion, as co-host of the leg. It invites players, families, and pickleball fans from across the country to attend.
The organizers say details on tickets, booth opportunities, and ways for local businesses to take part will be posted soon. The post closes with a message to fellow Kapampangans:
"To all our Cabalen, this one is for you!"
Twelve Teams From Four Regions
The founding lineup covers Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. The teams represent:
- Abra
- Bangued
- Pampanga
- Muntinlupa
- Alfonso (Cavite)
- Bacoor
- Batangas
- Rizal
- Camarines Norte
- Parañaque
- Tacloban
- General Santos
Each team fields three men and three women. They compete in men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles across the tour. MPPT Chief Executive Officer Joe Ramos described what the founding teams mean to the league:
"The introduction of our founding teams is a defining moment for the MPPT."
How the Tour Works and What It Pays
The opening leg is followed by two more legs in November. The top eight teams in the ranking points standings advance to the national finals in December. Each leg carries a PHP 1 million prize, and the final leg is expected to have a bigger pot.
The five-leg schedule works as a pre-season. The regular season starts in February 2027 with more teams. For context on how the league came together, read our earlier report on Pacquiao's launch of the 12-team tour.
Parañaque Titans Bring National Team Players
The Parañaque Titans are billed as one of the teams to beat. Their roster includes national team players Leander Lazaro and Ruben Gonzales, along with Sarah Lim, Nik Isagan, Fatima Amirul, Jessica Agra, CJ Luna, Matt Navarro, Danica Bautista, and Mikhyla Cruz.
Titans co-founder Tina Mariano sees familiarity as the team's edge. She pointed out that the players have competed with and against each other for years:
"First of all, they're all friends."
A League Built to Outgrow 12 Teams
Pacquiao has said he wants more teams in the field next year, since many groups asked to join this season. At the launch press conference, he framed the opening leg simply:
"This is just the beginning."
Pickleball in the Philippines now has a GAB-sanctioned professional league with a seven-figure prize at every stop. That will push more recreational players to take their own games seriously.
Anyone in Malaysia or Southeast Asia looking to build fundamentals before entering their first tournament can find certified instructors at coach.thepicklebase.com.