Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour
| Sport | Pickleball |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 31, 2026 |
| First season | 2026 (first tournament) 2027 (first season) |
| Commissioner | Mark Espinosa |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Countries | Philippines |
The Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour (MPPT) is a regional professional pickleball league in the Philippines composed of twelve teams. The league was founded in 2026 by boxing legend Manny Pacquiao as the fifth league under the Maharlika Pilipinas banner.
The league will begin play with an Invitational tournament in October 2026 before its inaugural season in February 2027.
History
The MPPT was first announced with a press release on May 7, 2026[1] before a formal launch on July 31. The league will begin play with an invitational tournament running from October to December, with the first leg running on October 3 and 4 in Angeles City. Twelve teams are confirmed to be taking part in the tournament.[2][3] The tournament will feature five legs, each with a ₱1 million prize pool attached. Teams earn points based on results in each leg with the top eight advancing to the final tournament.[4]
The MPPT is the fifth league under Pacquio's series of leagues under the Maharlika Pilipinas banner. The league is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), with Mark Espinosa serving as the inaugural commissioner and Joe Ramos as the inaugural CEO.[5]
Teams
The MPPT will be composed twelve teams during the Invitational tournament. Each team's roster will be composed of three men and three women.[5]
| Team | Home market |
|---|---|
| Abra River Paddlers | Abra |
| Alfonso Siklab | Alfonso, Cavite |
| Bacoor City Strikers | Bacoor, Cavite |
| Bangued Miki | Bangued, Abra |
| Batangas Bangers | Batangas |
| Camarines Norte Golden Hawks | Camarines Norte |
| GenSan Punchers | General Santos |
| Muntinlupa City Smashers | Muntinlupa |
| Pampanga Chefs | Pampanga |
| Parañaque Titans | Parañaque |
| Rizal Illustrados | Rizal |
| Tacloban Aces | Tacloban |
References
- ↑ "Pacquiao set to launch new pickleball pro league". ABS-CBN. May 7, 2026. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
- ↑ Montejo, Mark Rey (July 31, 2026). "Manny Pacquiao launches pickleball tournament; winning team per leg gets P1 million". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
- ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (July 31, 2026). "MPPT draws 12 squads in debut". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
- ↑ Arcenal, John Miles (July 31, 2026). "Manny Pacquiao serves up pickleball league with MPPT launch". SPIN.ph. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
- 1 2 Javier, Paige (July 31, 2026). "12 teams to battle in inaugural Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour". ABS-CBN. Retrieved August 1, 2026.