Dallas Flash Pickleball Playoff Race: The Major League Pickleball playoffs are nearly set. The St. Louis Shock and Dallas Flash secured the top two seeds. Four other teams also earned first-round byes, while a handful of others are still fighting for a spot. For seven teams, however, the season will soon come to an end.
Top Teams Lock Playoff Spots
The St. Louis Shock and Dallas Flash lead the playoff field, locking in the number one and two seeds. They will be joined in the top six by the New Jersey 5s at number three, Brooklyn Aces at four, Columbus Sliders at five, and Los Angeles Mad Drops at six.
These six teams will skip the first round of the playoffs and advance directly to the quarterfinals.
First Round Hosts and Final Battle
The Texas Ranchers and Orlando Squeeze will host the first round play-in games. The Utah Black Diamonds will be one of their opponents.
The last playoff spot is still undecided. The Miami Pickleball Club holds a narrow lead over the Chicago Slice. That battle will be settled later this week in Salt Lake City, with only one team advancing.
Seven Teams to Miss the Playoffs
Six current Premier Division teams will miss the 2025 playoffs. These teams include either the Miami Pickleball Club or Chicago Slice (whichever does not qualify), along with the Carolina Pickleball Club, Phoenix Smash, SoCal Hard Eights, Atlanta Bouncers, and New York Hustlers.
They will be joined by one new team in 2026—the winner of the 2025 Challenger League. With their seasons ending, these teams will start to think about how to improve for next year.
Looking Ahead to 2026
For the six non-playoff Premier teams, big decisions could be coming. “Will they hire new coaches and general managers, as we would normally see for teams missing the playoffs in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB?”
There’s also the 2026 player auction, where many top players will be available. With smart planning and investment, any of these teams could become a surprise success next year. With smart management, this year’s non-playoff team can become a Cinderella story for 2026, if managed correctly.
News in Brief: Dallas Flash Pickleball Playoff Race
The MLP playoffs are nearly finalized. St. Louis and Dallas top the list, while Miami and Chicago fight for the last spot. Seven teams—including New York, Phoenix, and Carolina—will miss the playoffs and look to rebuild. A new team from the Challenger League will join the Premier division in 2026.
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