MLP FAQs

Major League Pickleball is the sport’s preeminent co-ed professional league. As a starting point to familiarize yourself with the league’s ethos, check out this video. 

All MLP Events are streamed live. Matches are streamed both on Pickleball TV, with additional TV channel distribution partners varying by event. Following each match day, all MLP 2026 Season Matches can be viewed on our official MLP YouTube Channel.

As of 2026, there are 20 teams in MLP, with all teams participating at one level.

MLPlay™ is an innovative gameplay format that brings men and women together on a level playing court. In the MLPlay format team matches are composed of four games, with the first being women’s doubles, then men’s doubles, and the final two games consisting of mixed doubles. This unique dynamic means that teamwork as a skill is just as critical as speed or technique on the court and a big part of the community aspect of the sport! If a match is tied 2-2 after four games, a fifth DreamBreaker game is played.

The 2026 MLP season schedule will consist of a variety of events, spread throughout the country in MLP team markets to bring Major League Pickleball action to more places than ever before. The bulk of the season will consist of nine regular season events, each featuring a collection of the 20 MLP teams playing multiple matches. Remaining events include the Mid-Season Tournament and three rounds of MLP Playoffs, ending with the Finals in New York City’s Central Park.

If both teams are tied at 2-2 after the 4 games played, they’ll go to a Dreambreaker! In a Dreambreaker one person from each team plays singles against each other, switching every four points until someone gets to 21 and wins by two points. To level up the stakes, the home team has to present its singles line-up first then the away team gets the chance to counter that with their own configuration of their lineup to match and counter each player’s skills!

The kitchen” refers to the non-volley zone, a seven-foot space on both sides of the net. Players cannot volley the ball, meaning hit it in the air before it bounces, while standing in this area. It’s a key strategy area in the game.

Dinking is the crafty, gentle arc shot aiming for the kitchen – it’s all about finesse, not power, landing softly in your opponent’s territory. This game changer adds a sprinkle of strategy to your pickleball play!