THE ROSTERS ARE ABOUT TO BE SET. WHO’S IN?
2026 MLPA Draft Day – The Road Starts Here
Major League Pickleball Australia is six weeks away from one of the most anticipated moments in Australian pickleball – Draft Day, 22 July 2026.
Eight franchises. Three tiers. $200,000+ on the line.
This isn’t just a selection process. This is the moment where paddlers across the country find out if they’ve earned their place on the biggest stage Australian pickleball has ever seen. Whether you’re gunning for a Premier spot, battling through the DUPR 22, or coming for glory in the Champions 50+, your time to prove it is now.
THE THREE ROADS TO A FRANCHISE JERSEY
Premier Division
The pinnacle. The elite. Australia’s top-ranked players competing at the highest level of the game. Premier rosters are built for performance, packed with firepower, and designed to win. If you’re holding a DUPR of 5.0+ (Male) or 4.5+ (Female), this is your shot.
Eligible for ANZ citizens and international athletes who are signed to the PPA TOUR or past MLP Australia players not signed to competing leagues.
Draft Registration Closes July 12 – Register here now
DUPR 22 | The Next Generation
This is where the hunger lives. The DUPR 22 division is MLPA’s proving ground. Where up-and-coming talent gets to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the country. Eight franchises will each field a squad of four, competing across the full 2026 season calendar. The path isn’t easy. The DUPR gates are real. But if you’ve put in the reps and your rating backs it up, a franchise jersey is waiting with your name on it. Win a national qualifier and you represent!
Champions 50+ | The Legends Division
Experience doesn’t retire. The Champions 50+ tier is proof that the fire doesn’t fade, it just burns smarter. Some of Australia’s most decorated paddlers will be fighting for franchise representation across this division. Four spots per team. Every one of them earned. Win a national qualifier and you represent!
National MLPA Qualification Events
THE 2026 SEASON | FOUR EVENTS. FOUR CITIES. NO EXCUSES.
The full MLPA season runs September through November across the country:
- Melbourne | 18–20 September 2026
- Brisbane | 9–11 October 2026
- Gold Coast | 20–22 November 2026
- Sydney | 27–29 November 2026 + Jr.MLP
Whoever gets drafted on 22 July carries their franchise colours into all of it. Four events. National pride. Franchise glory.
WHO WILL REPRESENT THE 8 FRANCHISES?
Eight franchises. Eight identities. Eight stories waiting to be written on 22 July.
Enquiries: Sange Carter sange@majorleaguepickleball.net.au
