Major League Pickleball’s 2026 season begins in Dallas on Friday with 11 teams taking the court at Pickler Universe, as attention quickly shifts towards early title contenders, revamped rosters and one of the most debated off-season rebuilds in the league.
The opening event features 11 of the league’s 20 teams, including defending champions Columbus, title favourites New Jersey and St. Louis, along with hosts Dallas and LA. Teams have been split into two pools before progressing into mini-playoffs that will decide final standings and event points.
Pool A is headlined by the much-anticipated clash between New Jersey and Columbus on Saturday. New Jersey enter the season as one of the favourites after adding Jorja Johnson to a lineup already featuring Anna Leigh Waters, Will Howells and Noe Khlif.
The Johnson-Waters pairing has already generated significant attention, with many viewing the duo as one of the strongest women’s doubles combinations in the league.
Defending champions Columbus return with most of their core intact, although Parris Todd will miss the opening event through suspension. Australian player Danni-Elle Townsend joins the roster as Columbus look to defend their crown.
Dallas, meanwhile, arrive under pressure after a turbulent off-season that saw the franchise lose Jorja Johnson before eventually trading for Brooke Buckner. The move has drawn criticism across the pickleball community, with many believing Dallas weakened a roster that had reached championship level in 2025.
Pool B features another heavyweight contender in St. Louis, who retain the core of Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio.
LA also remain among the strongest contenders with Ben Johns leading a roster that includes Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto.
Beyond the on-court action, the opening event also reflects pickleball’s rapidly evolving financial landscape. Women players dominated the recent MLP auction market, with Anna Bright and Jorja Johnson reportedly commanding record fees of $1.2 million and $800,000 respectively.
The Dallas event now offers the first real glimpse into how those roster decisions could shape the 2026 title race, with New Jersey and St. Louis already emerging as the early favourites to challenge for the championship.