Copyright timesnownews
The global pickleball spotlight will turn to Singapore next year when the city-state hosts the first-ever Epic World Championship, a four-day amateur tournament with a guaranteed prize purse of at least US$50,000. The tournament is set to take place from April 30 to May 3, 2026, at the Kallang Tennis Hub, located just a short walk from the National Stadium. The Singapore Sports Hub has been announced as the official venue partner. The championship marks the first time the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is officially supporting an international pickleball event. The board has committed to a three-year partnership with Epic. According to Victor Cui, co-founder of Epic, the prize pool will increase with players’ registrations. “The amount will escalate with every new player registration. By the time the tournament starts, the prize purse is expected to be one of the largest in amateur pickleball,” said Cui in an interview with The Business Times. Organisers expect well over 1,000 players from across the globe to compete in the tournament. Cui, 53, is a familiar name in Singapore’s sporting scene. He co-founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of ONE Championship, and has held senior roles with ESPN Star Sports and golf’s PGA Tour. He was also part of the marketing and communications teams for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. On why he chose to venture into pickleball — particularly in the amateur category — Cui said his goal was to build a competition that is open and accessible to all. “Pickleball is growing really fast, but I don’t want this event to be in the professional space. This is about mass participation, like a marathon, Hyrox, or Spartan race,” he explained. “You don’t have to be a professional to join these events. With the Epic World Championship, amateur players from around the world can take part, and we want to bring as many people as possible to Singapore.” While participants will pay a registration fee, Cui confirmed that no tickets will be sold to spectators.
