Major League Pickleball (MLP) is set for the Mid-Season Tournament, to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from July 8 to 12. The tournament will offer valuable standings points that could potentially reshape the playoff seedings. The MLP Championship will take place in New York from August 28-30.
Format
The Mid-Season Tournament will see all 20 franchises in the league descend on Grand Rapids alongside four invited teams – Team Australia, Team Canada, Team Europe, and the Collegiate All-Stars. Teams dropping their opening match will be relegated to the consolation bracket, with the winner securing third place. The champion will earn six standings points, the runners-up four, and the third-placed team two.
The tournament will kick off on July 8 with the 16 lowest-seeded teams. The top eight seeds, led by New Jersey 5s, St. Louis Shock, and LA Mad Drops, receive first-round byes and enter the competition on July 9 against the opening-day winners. The championship match is scheduled for July 12.
What to expect in 1st Round
Any major upsets in the opening round are unlikely, even as the four invited teams would like to prove their worth. While most matches are likely to be lopsided, the match to look forward to is California Black Bears vs Miami Pickleball Club. Miami’s rejigged men’s lineup featuring Dylan Frazier, Yuta Funemizu, and Zane Ford adds depth to the squad, with Frazier expected to be the standout performer and capable of guiding Miami past California.
Another equally poised contest sees Florida Smash face Bay Area Breakers. Florida’s women, led by Zoey Weil along with Martina Frantova and Paula Rives, have performed beyond expectations this season, while Bay Area are expected to enjoy a clear edge on the men’s side, setting up an intriguing clash of contrasting strengths.
What to expect in 2nd Round
In this round, the seeded teams will enter the draw. Among the top-eight sides, Palm Beach Royals could face the biggest challenge if they meet Orlando Squeeze. The presence of Federico Staksrud and Jack Sock gives Orlando enough firepower to push the tie into a DreamBreaker, especially with Palm Beach Royals’ men’s squad struggling for consistency due to injuries despite strong performances from Tina Pisnik and Sofia Sewing.
Knockouts
Competition will intensify in the quarterfinals, with projected matchups including New Jersey 5s, the MLP 2026 table-toppers, going up against Dallas Flash, Brooklyn facing Columbus, St. Louis Shock, the second-placed team, going up against Texas Ranchers, and Los Angeles Mad Drops taking on Palm Beach Royals or Orlando Squeeze. The possible contest between Brooklyn Pickleball Team and Columbus Sliders may stand out, provided Rachel Rohrabacher and Tyra Black are both fully fit.
St. Louis Shock will also face a stern test if they go up against Texas Ranchers, since the latter handed New Jersey 5s a shock defeat at MLP New York.
The tournament is expected to culminate in another blockbuster between pre-season favorites New Jersey 5s and St. Louis Shock as their rivalry continues to grow.
