Pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in the United States and is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide.
This racquet sport has seen an unprecedented surge in participants globally, with the pickleball community in the USA alone now large enough to create the world’s most populated city.
As a favorite among sports lovers, pickleball continues to attract new players who embrace it as their preferred activity for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Beyond recreational play, the sport is thriving at the professional level.
The introduction of the Pickleball World Ranking (PWR) has further boosted its appeal, providing a competitive platform for players across the globe.
In the United States, pickleball’s growth is particularly remarkable.
With increasing participation rates and the rapid expansion of courts nationwide, the sport has firmly established itself as a cultural phenomenon.
Could Pickleball Fans Form a City Bigger than Tokyo ?
Research conducted by the Association of Pickleball Professionals in 2023 revealed that 48.3 million adult Americans, approximately 19% of the population, played pickleball at least once in the past year.
Current estimates suggest that the number of players has now surpassed 50 million.
If every pickleball enthusiast in the United States were to come together, they could form a city larger than Tokyo, which holds the title of the world’s most populated city with 37 million residents, according to a 2018 United Nations estimate.
By comparison, other major cities such as Delhi (28 million), Shanghai (25 million), São Paulo (21 million), and Mexico City (21 million) fall significantly short of this hypothetical pickleball metropolis.
What’s Next for Pickleball ?
The sport is gearing up for an exciting future, with significant events on the horizon. The PWR DUPR India League and Tour, along with the PWR DUPR World Tour and Series, are set to debut in 2025.
These developments promise to further elevate pickleball’s global presence and solidify its status as a leading sport for both recreational and professional players.
Pickleball is not just a game—it’s a movement that’s uniting millions and reshaping the sports landscape worldwide.
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