MLP Mid-Season Tournament Preview: Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Event in Grand Rapids
Major League Pickleball’s Mid-Season Tournament is one of those events that genuinely feels different from the rest of the season. It’s bigger, louder, and carries a kind of energy that regular-season events just don’t always match. This year, the tournament is being held at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, running alongside the Beer City Open — and if you’ve never paid attention to this event before, now is a great time to start.
What makes this particular stop so unique is that it’s the only event in the entire 2026 MLP season where all 20 teams compete under the same roof, at the same time. Add in four extra international and collegiate teams and you’ve got a tournament with serious depth, real stakes, and a lot of compelling storylines heading into the back half of the season.
What Is the MLP Mid-Season Tournament? A Quick Explainer for Newer Fans
If you’re relatively new to pickleball or just starting to follow Major League Pickleball, here’s what you need to know. MLP is the top professional team-based pickleball league in the United States. Teams are made up of a mix of male and female players, and they compete in a format that includes men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles matches. It’s fast, it’s competitive, and the talent level is genuinely elite.
The Mid-Season Tournament is a special event that happens once per season. Unlike a typical MLP event where only some teams compete against each other, this one brings all 20 professional teams together in a single location for a double-elimination bracket tournament. That means if a team loses once, they’re not out — but if they lose twice, they’re done. The best finish a team can earn after dropping a match is a bronze medal.
Seeding for the bracket was done in reverse regular-season standings order, based on points per event. So the teams that have been struggling the most this season got the highest seeds and the first-round byes, giving them a slight advantage heading in. The top eight seeds in the tournament got to skip the first round entirely.
There are also real regular-season implications on the line here. The winner earns 10 standings points, second place earns six, and the bronze medalist takes home four. That’s enough to shake up the standings heading into the second half of the season.
This year, four additional teams have been added to the competition: Team Australia, Team Canada, Team Europe, and a Collegiate All-Stars squad. These additions bring an international flavor to what is already one of the most exciting stops on the pro pickleball calendar. The Beer City Open has been running alongside the Mid-Season Tournament for three straight years now, and the combination of the two events creates a festival-like atmosphere that draws in fans who may not regularly follow the pro game.
The Beer City Open and Why Grand Rapids Is a Special Venue
Grand Rapids, Michigan might not be the first city that comes to mind when you think about professional pickleball, but Belknap Park has become one of the most beloved stops on the circuit. The Beer City Open is a community-driven, well-organized event that has earned a reputation for being one of the best-run tournaments in pickleball. The combination of a passionate local crowd, quality courts, and the overall atmosphere of the park makes it genuinely different from bigger-market events.
The Mid-Season Tournament being co-located with the Beer City Open means that fans get to watch both amateur and professional pickleball in the same setting. If you’ve ever thought about attending a live pro pickleball event and you haven’t been to this one, it’s worth making the trip. The energy is real and the community feel is something that larger, more corporate venues often lack.
For 2026, The Dink reports that this is the third consecutive year the two events have been held together, which suggests the partnership has been a genuine success for both the league and the local organizers. That kind of continuity is a good sign for the long-term health of the event.
Weather and Court Conditions
Weather is always a factor with outdoor tournaments, and the Mid-Season Tournament is no exception. Thursday is shaping up to be the most problematic day in terms of precipitation risk. Temperatures are expected to sit in the mid-to-upper 80s with humidity levels hovering around 60 percent. For anyone who plays outdoor pickleball, you already know what that means for ball behavior — in humid conditions, the ball tends to play slightly slower, which can affect spin, speed, and overall strategy at the net.
If there is significant rain during the week, play could be moved indoors. The indoor option is always less ideal for fans attending in person and for those watching remotely, as livestreaming infrastructure and fan capacity are more limited inside. Fingers crossed for clear skies, particularly on Thursday and through the weekend when the biggest matches are scheduled.
How to Watch the 2026 MLP Mid-Season Tournament
The broadcast schedule for the Mid-Season Tournament gives pickleball fans multiple ways to tune in, whether you’re a cable subscriber or a streaming-first viewer. All matches will be available on Pickleballtv and the Pickleballtv App throughout the event, so there’s always somewhere to watch regardless of your cable package.
For broadcast television coverage, here’s the full schedule:
- Thursday, July 9: Live on FS1 (Exclusive), 7PM–9PM ET — Match #16
- Friday, July 10: Live on FS1 (Exclusive), 7PM–9PM ET — Quarterfinal Match #30
- Saturday, July 11: Tape Delay on FS2, 7PM–9PM ET — Match TBD
- Sunday, July 12: Live on FOX (Exclusive), 3PM–5PM ET — Finals Match #43
The Sunday finals airing live on FOX is a significant moment for the sport. FOX’s main network reach is enormous, and putting the pickleball championship match in front of that audience on a Sunday afternoon is the kind of mainstream exposure the sport has been working toward for years. If you know someone who hasn’t paid much attention to pickleball but watches sports on Sunday afternoons, this is a great opportunity to get them watching.
Full Team Rosters for the 2026 MLP Mid-Season Tournament
One of the most appealing parts of the Mid-Season Tournament is seeing the full scope of talent across all 20 MLP teams plus the four special squads. Here’s a complete breakdown of every roster competing this week.
International and Collegiate Teams
Team Australia brings Sarah Burr, Zach Grabovic, Mitch Hargreaves, and Talia Saunders to Grand Rapids. It’s a lean four-player roster, which means every player will see significant court time throughout the bracket.
Team Canada has the largest roster of the four special teams with Mackonner Dy, Kyle Hermetz, Rosie Johanson, Kim Layton, Ryan Torresin, and Jordann Vigna. The depth here could be an advantage if the tournament runs long and fatigue becomes a factor.
Team Europe features a genuinely international lineup: Raquel Amaro and Pep Canyadell from Spain, Ben Cawston and Kate Morris from the UK, JM Medina also representing Spain, and Karolina Owczarek flying the flag for Germany. The European pickleball scene has been growing steadily and this squad will be an interesting test of where that development currently stands against American professional competition.
The Collegiate All-Stars are made up of Kallan Arledge from Ohio State, Lauren Mercado and Mary Monson from Utah Tech, and Ryan Morneau from James Madison. Watching college-level players compete against seasoned MLP professionals is always compelling — the gap in experience is real, but the hunger these younger players bring can surprise people.
MLP Teams (Listed in Reverse Standings Order)
Phoenix Flames: Jonathan Truong, Daria Walczak, Cam Chaffin, Wyatt Stone, Alexa Schull, and Albie Huang. As one of the lower-ranked teams in the regular season, the Flames have a favorable seeding position heading into this bracket.
Carolina Hogs: Brandon French, DJ Young, Aiko Yoshitomi, Abbi Hatton, Michael Loyd, and Nicole Conard. The Hogs have a solid mix of experience and younger talent on their roster.
Bay Area Breakers: Pablo Tellez, Genie Erokhina, Blaine Hovenier, Len Yang, Mya Bui, and Ella Yeh. The Breakers bring a West Coast contingent with real playmaking ability.
Miami Pickleball Club: Dylan Frazier, Yuta Funemizu, Estee Widdershoven, Isabella Dunlap, Zane Ford, and Rika Fujiwara. Frazier is one of the most electrifying players in the game and gives Miami a genuine x-factor in close matches.
California Black Bears: Sahra Dennehy, Kiora Kunimoto, Anouar Braham, Emma Nelson, Joey Wild, and Jamed Delgado, with Luca Mack listed on injured reserve. The IR situation bears watching depending on how deep the Bears go in the bracket.
Florida Smash: Martina Frantova, Cason Campbell, Paula Rives, Chris Crouch, Zoey Weil, and Connor Mogle. Florida consistently fields competitive rosters and this year is no different.
Atlanta Bouncers: Jaume Martinez Vich, Jay Devilliers, Jessie Irvine, Mari Humberg, Keilly Ulery, and Donald Young. Devilliers and Irvine are two of the most accomplished players in the sport, making Atlanta a genuine contender at any event they enter.
Chicago Slice: Zane Navratil, Jamie Wei, Elsie Hendershot, Jalina Ingram, and John Lucian Goins. Navratil and Hendershot are high-profile names who elevate Chicago’s ceiling significantly.
Utah Black Diamonds: Etta Tuionetoa, Connor Garnett, Allyce Jones, Tama Shimabukuro, Victoria DiMuzio, and Tyler Loong. Utah has a cohesive squad that tends to perform well in team formats.
Orlando Squeeze: Federico Staksrud, Lacy Schneemann, Jack Sock, Milly Rane, Yates Johnson, and Alex Walker. Former tennis Grand Slam winner Jack Sock remains one of the most recognizable names in the sport, and his presence always generates attention.
SoCal Hard 8s: Meghan Dizon, Armaan Bhatia, Cailyn Campbell, Will Mackinnon, Rafa Lenhard, and Naomi Nguyen. SoCal has quietly put together a roster with serious competitive depth.
Dallas Flash: JW Johnson, Danni-Elle Townsend, Alix Truong, Augie Ge, Brooke Buckner, and Ivan Jakovljevic. JW Johnson is one of the most dominant players in professional pickleball, and Dallas is a legitimate championship contender heading into this tournament.
Las Vegas Night Owls: Roscoe Bellamy, Zoey Wang, Liz Truluck, Callie Smith, Braden Jacobson, and Clayton Powell. Las Vegas brings an entertaining mix of players who thrive under pressure.
Texas Ranchers: Eric Oncins, Lea Jansen, Layne Sleeth, Nico Acevedo, Rafa Hewett, and Kaitlyn Christian. Lea Jansen is one of the best women’s players in the game, and Texas should be a tough out in any match they play.
Palm Beach Royals: Sofia Sewing, Tyson McGuffin, Dekel Bar, Tina Pisnik, Tammy Emmrich, and Casey Diamond, with Grayson Goldin listed on IR. McGuffin is one of the most passionate and recognizable competitors in professional pickleball, and Palm Beach always competes hard regardless of the bracket situation.
Columbus Sliders: Andrei Daescu, Parris Todd, CJ Klinger, Hurricane Tyra Black, Alex Crum, and Judit Castillo. Parris Todd has been one of the more consistent performers in women’s pickleball and gives Columbus a reliable anchor.
Brooklyn Pickleball Team: Riley Newman, Christian Alshon, Jackie Kawamoto, Rachel Rohrabacher, Chris Haworth, and Hannah Blatt. Riley Newman is widely considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, and Brooklyn is always dangerous because of his presence alone.
LA Mad Drops: Ben Johns, Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, Max Freeman, Gabe Joseph, and Samantha Parker. Ben Johns is quite simply the most decorated player in professional pickleball history. When LA goes deep in a tournament, Johns is almost always the reason why.
St. Louis Shock: Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, Kate Fahey, Hunter Johnson, and Angie Walker. The Shock have been one of the hottest teams in the league heading into this event, and based on recent MLP results, St. Louis enters Grand Rapids with serious momentum after going undefeated across multiple events.
New Jersey 5s: Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Noe Khlif, Will Howells, Martin Emmrich, and Lina Padegimaite. Anna Leigh Waters is arguably the best women’s pickleball player in the world right now, and the Fives have been on a remarkable run. According to recent coverage, New Jersey has now won three straight MLP events heading into Grand Rapids. That’s a level of dominance that makes them the team to beat in this tournament.
What to Watch For This Week
With all 20 MLP teams plus four additional squads competing in a double-elimination format, there are going to be some genuinely surprising results before the week is over. The reverse-seeding structure means the best teams in the regular season have to fight through harder matchups earlier in the bracket, which historically leads to upsets and memorable moments.
The Anna Leigh Waters and New Jersey 5s storyline is the most compelling heading in. Three straight event wins is remarkable in any professional sport, and the question of whether that run continues or gets stopped in Grand Rapids is worth following closely all week. Ben Johns and the LA Mad Drops are always in the conversation for any championship. The St. Louis Shock bring legitimate momentum. And the international teams add a wildcard element that makes early-round results genuinely unpredictable.
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