Vietnam's pickleball boom, and what it means for you

Three years ago you could count Vietnam's dedicated pickleball courts on two hands. In 2026 the country hosted the first Pickleball World Cup in Asia, two PPA Tour Asia events, and a court seems to open somewhere in Hanoi every week. I've watched it happen from the sideline and from the court. Here's how the boom unfolded, and what it means if you'd like to come and play.

How fast it happened

Pickleball barely existed here before 2023. Then it hit a country that already loved badminton and tennis, where everyone lives close to a sports court, and where a game with friends after work is part of the day. The paddle is cheap, the rules take ten minutes, and you can play it at sixty as well as at twenty. It spread like nothing I've seen in ten years of guiding.

By late 2025 it was big enough to make regional news for the wrong reasons too: a December 2025 report on Asia's pickleball craze put Vietnam second only to Malaysia, and described residents in Hanoi complaining about the "pop, pop, pop" of new courts late into the night. Some courts now have restricted hours because of it. That's what a real boom looks like.

2026: the year the world noticed

April: the MB Hanoi Cup

The PPA Tour Asia opened its 2026 season in the capital, at the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Arena, the venue of the 2021 SEA Games, with US$300,000 in prize money and amateur divisions running alongside the pros. It was the tour's first visit to northern Vietnam.

August: the Ho Chi Minh City Open

In August the tour came back to the south for the Ho Chi Minh City Open, held at the New Sports Club in The Global City, a new sports complex in Thu Duc. Saigon had been building its scene for years; this put it on the international calendar.

August and September: the World Cup in Da Nang

Then came the big one. The Heineken Pickleball World Cup, the first ever held in Asia, ran in Da Nang from 30 August to 6 September 2026, with matches at Tien Son Sports Centre, Tuyen Son Sports Complex and venues across the city. More than 5,000 athletes from 65 countries and territories walked out at the opening ceremony, and the event set a Guinness World Record for the most countries represented at a pickleball tournament. Vietnamese players finished near the top of the medal table on home courts.

Three cities, three scenes

The boom didn't happen evenly, and each city plays differently. That matters if you're planning a trip around it.

• Da Nang is the easiest for visitors: dozens of clubs, a 14-court centre on the beach road, and open play twice a day, at dawn and after 5pm. See where to play in Da Nang, and half an hour down the coast, pickleball in Hoi An.
• Hanoi is a city that plays after work, from late afternoon into the evening, with courts in almost every district. My own court, Taurus, is on the edge of the Old Quarter. See where to play in Hanoi.
• Ho Chi Minh City has the deepest scene, from expat clubs in Thao Dien to competition courts in District 7, and a court near District 1 if you don't want to cross the river. See where to play in Saigon.

What the boom means for a visitor

For you, all of this adds up to something simple: Vietnam is now one of the easiest and cheapest places in the world to play while you travel. If you'd like to see it from the court rather than the stands, our Da Nang and Hoi An trip puts you in the city that hosted the World Cup, and why Vietnam belongs on your pickleball vacation list makes the wider case.

• Courts are cheap. They rent per court, per hour, usually 130,000 to 300,000 dong depending on the time. Split four ways, that's a dollar or two each. Our guide to what a pickleball trip to Vietnam costs has the full numbers.
• You don't need to bring a paddle. Most clubs rent them at the front desk.
• Getting a game is easy, once you know how. Groups start on Facebook and move to Zalo, Vietnam's messaging app. You join the club's Zalo group through its QR code and message the owner. My guide to playing pickleball in Vietnam explains it step by step.
• Play early or late. It's hot in the middle of the day almost everywhere, so locals play at dawn and in the evening. Here's how to handle the heat.

The one thing that hasn't caught up is information for visitors. Most clubs post in Vietnamese, and the groups that really organise the games are private. That's the gap we fill.

Bringing your club? We arrange trips for 6 to 24+ players, with games against local clubs, and the organiser travels free when ten or more pay. Here's how our pickleball club trips work.

What's next

Expect more of the same. New courts are opening in smaller cities like Hue, Nha Trang and Da Lat, resorts are adding courts as a selling point, and Vietnam is now a regular stop on the PPA Tour Asia. As of October 2026, the 2027 dates haven't been published. Our guide to entering a tournament in Vietnam as a visitor will be updated as soon as they are.

Vietnam pickleball FAQ

Is pickleball popular in Vietnam?

Very. In about three years Vietnam went from a handful of courts to clubs in every major city, and in 2026 it hosted a World Cup and two PPA Tour Asia events.

Where was the 2026 Pickleball World Cup held?

In Da Nang, from 30 August to 6 September 2026, with more than 5,000 athletes from 65 countries and territories at the opening ceremony.

Which city is best for pickleball?

Da Nang is the easiest for visitors. Ho Chi Minh City has the deepest scene. Hanoi has courts in every district, including one by the Old Quarter.

Can tourists play?

Yes. Courts rent by the hour for a few dollars, most clubs rent paddles, and local players are used to visitors joining.

The bottom line

Vietnam went from almost no pickleball to hosting a World Cup in about three years, and the courts, the prices and the welcome are still better than its reputation. Pick a city, book a morning or evening court, and see the boom from the inside. Our sample trips through Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long and from top to bottom both include sessions with local players.