Hong Kong will host Asia’s largest professional pickleball tournament in October, with the world’s leading players set to compete at Kai Tak Arena for a record prize purse of up to US$1.1 million (HK$8.58 million).
The PPA Asia 1500 Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam 2026 will run from October 19 to 25 at Kai Tak Sports Park, bringing the fast-growing racket sport to one of the city’s biggest indoor sporting venues. The tournament will also offer 1,500 ranking points and serve as the season finale of the PPA Tour Asia.
More than 860 local and overseas players are expected to take part across professional and amateur divisions, with points earned in eligible events counting toward the PPA Asia professional ranking system.
The event, organized by F-Sports Promotions Limited, title-sponsored by Hang Seng Bank and supported by the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association, was officially unveiled at Hang Seng Bank’s headquarters on Tuesday.
Commissioner for Sports George Tsoi Kin-pan said pickleball had rapidly emerged as one of Hong Kong’s fastest-growing sports in recent years, with people across different age groups and backgrounds taking an interest in the game.
“Friends from different sectors and age groups around us are all very enthusiastic about taking part,” Tsoi said.
He added that colleagues at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau had also taken up the sport in their spare time.
“Some media friends have said colleagues at the bureau look younger the more they play,” he said. “But more importantly, pickleball can help promote sport for all and physical fitness, allowing more people to participate in a sport with a low barrier to entry that is easy to pick up.”
The government has been promoting emerging sports by opening designated indoor and outdoor badminton courts for such activities and providing support to local sports organizations to stage related programs, Tsoi said.
He welcomed the decision to bring the tournament to Hong Kong, saying the city’s advantages could help broaden the sport’s appeal in the community while creating further momentum for the sports industry.
The Hong Kong Slam will be the first PPA Slam staged in Asia and is expected to bring together elite international players and amateur competitors under the same roof.
Tsoi said the scale of this year’s event would exceed that of last year’s Hong Kong Open, adding that the week-long competition would give local players an opportunity to test themselves against overseas competitors on home soil.
He also expressed hope that Hong Kong athletes could capitalize on home advantage and deliver strong performances.
Hang Seng Bank executive director and chief executive Luanne Lim Hui-hung said the bank was proud to support the event as title sponsor.
“As a leading local bank in Hong Kong, Hang Seng has always actively supported the development of local sports and major cultural events,” Lim said.
“We are honored to be the title sponsor of the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam, bringing Asia’s first PPA 1500-level Slam to Hong Kong and allowing residents and visitors to experience the excitement and appeal of an international sporting event up close, further strengthening Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s events capital.”
Tsoi said support from the business sector was important to the development of sport and welcomed Hang Seng Bank and other sponsors joining the government in promoting the industry.
With a seven-day program combining elite competition and amateur participation, the tournament is also expected to give pickleball greater exposure in a city where the sport has quickly moved from a niche pastime into a growing community activity.
