World Pickleball Championship Malaysia Debut: The World Pickleball Championship Asian Grand Slam has officially launched in Kuala Lumpur, marking Malaysia’s first time hosting the global event. Running from July 16 to July 20, 2025, at The Pickle Grounds in Bandar Utama, the event welcomes over 1,500 athletes from 20 countries, making it the biggest pickleball event in Malaysian history.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli called the championship a major milestone for the country, highlighting how the sport has grown rapidly through community courts, schools, and public activities.
Sport is Growing Fast in Malaysia
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli shared his thoughts at the opening event. He said the game is growing fast across the country and praised it for being easy to start and fun to play.
“It is simple to start, thrilling to master, and most importantly, it brings people together,” Adam Adli said.
He added that pickleball is a great fit for the ministry’s goals of supporting healthy lifestyles and offering more chances for youth to compete.
“For us at the ministry, this sport aligns with our broader mission: to strengthen community well-being and to provide young Malaysians with more platforms to compete and succeed,” he added.
Historic Championship Launch
The World Pickleball Championship is the largest tournament ever held by the World Pickleball Federation. Deputy Minister Adam Adli said this event will bring major benefits to the country.
“This isn’t just about medals and matches. Events like this create tangible impact — in tourism, in business, in real development, and in how we position Malaysia as a destination for world-class competition,” he said.
He mentioned the championship is expected to generate over RM30 million in economic value.
When asked how the sport ranks in Malaysia, Adam Adli said it is clearly very popular because it’s easy for people of all ages to play. But he noted it’s hard to define its exact ranking.
“We can say it’s definitely very popular due to its accessibility. Old and young can all play. But how do you define ‘number one’? Is it based on player numbers, popularity, or something else?” he said.
He hoped that strong support from groups and partners will help the sport grow.
“I hope that with help from organisations, associations, and partners, we can help the sport grow through competitions like this. That will help pickleball become at least one of the top sports in Malaysia.”
Support from the World Pickleball Federation
Seymour Rifkind, founder of the World Pickleball Federation, also spoke at the event. He said Malaysia is leading in pickleball growth across Asia.
“I made a prediction 13 years ago when pickleball was a backyard game that it would be the fastest-growing and most popular sport in the world,” Seymour Rifkind said.
“The fastest-growing pickleball per population is Malaysia. Malaysia is number one, Vietnam is number two, and the amount of growth here in two years is incredible. Continue doing what you’re doing on social media; it’s working.”
Top Local Athletes to Compete
Well-known Malaysian athletes Christian Didier Chin and Colin Wong Wei Ming are taking part in the event. Christian Didier Chin is a former top junior tennis player, and Colin Wong Wei Ming is a former national tennis player.
Entry for spectators is free, and the championship includes several age groups and skill categories.
News in Brief: World Pickleball Championship Malaysia Debut
Malaysia is hosting the World Pickleball Championship Asian Grand Slam for the first time, welcoming over 1,500 athletes from 20 countries at The Pickle Grounds in Kuala Lumpur from July 16–20, 2025. Deputy Minister Adam Adli and Seymour Rifkind praised the sport’s rapid growth, calling it a major milestone for Malaysia.