New Global Merger Tackles the Pickleball Olympic Bid

World Pickleball Federation Founder Seymour Rifkind joined the PicklePod to explain why the sport is poised for an Olympic appearance as soon as 2028.

Pickleball's rightful spot in the Olympic Games has been argued over since long before most people picked up a paddle during COVID. But a few major developments make its prospects feel more real than ever.

First, some eye-opening numbers have emerged from a new UPA Asia study, which puts the number of people across 12 Asian territories playing pickleball at least once per month at a seismic 282 million.

And just last week, two global organizations — the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) and International Pickleball Federation (IPF) — merged into one entity, with a primary focus of positioning pickleball as the fastest-growing sport not just in America, but the world.

It's a big step toward the pickleball Olympic bid. Here's what comes next.

The WPF-IPF Merger and the Pickleball Olympic Bid

To be considered as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and participate in the Olympic Games, WPF Founder Seymour Rifkind said on the latest PicklePod, a sport needs to be represented by a sole international federation.

It's a rigorous process, designed to weed out all but the most serious of prospective members. Rifkind and the WPF, he says, are very serious.

"There's probably about 300 to 400 pages of documents that need to be put together in order to formally apply to the IOC," he told PicklePod host Zane Zavratil.

That's about three or four more months of work to get together. During that time, the new entity needs to hire a CEO and a COO, amass an army of volunteers, and come up with a new name. Inside the IPF-WPF Merger and Pickleball's 'Olympic Aspirations' Ahead, published on June 14, 2025, outlines exactly how this historic consolidation came to be and what steps are next.

Then, it needs to show the IOC that pickleball is the global juggernaut it claims to be.

"One of the biggest next steps once a new board is put into place in August and our committees are filled out is hosting a World Pickleball Games," said Rifkind. "One of the things that the IOC is going to want to see, 'OK, so you've got all these countries, it's popular. Now, can you run a major international tournament?"

One Country, One Vote

Last week, member countries of the WPF and IPF met and voted unanimously to unify into a single international governing body.

The unified entity — made up of more than 100 countries, says Rifkind — will uniquely continue to champion "One Country One Vote," ensuring proper representation for all nations.

To align with the global sports community and meet the highest standards of governance, the new WPF will register its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland — home to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

It's also committed to meeting all IOC recognition requirements, including:

Democratic governance and equal voting rights for all member nations
Transparent operations and financial oversight • Gender equity and athlete representation
Compliance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards
Conflict resolution and disciplinary frameworks
Adherence to the Olympic Charter

These aren't just formalities. Each requirement represents a concrete standard the merged federation must meet before the pickleball Olympic dream becomes reality.

The Staggering Growth in Asia Fueling the Pickleball Olympic Push

Rifkind cited some eye-opening stats on the PicklePod as evidence of the sport's continued international growth.

A new study conducted by UPA Asia and YouGov Singapore surveyed more than 14,000 respondents across 12 territories: China; Chinese Taipei; India; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; the Philippines; Singapore; South Korea; Hong Kong, China; Thailand and Vietnam.

"The sampling was done based on a territorially representative sample of each territory, with at least 1,000 respondents per market. The responses were then extrapolated based on population size," according to UPA Asia.

Some key findings from the 12 representative territories:

About 1.9 billion people have heard about pickleball
Close to 812 million people have played the sport at least once
282 million are playing at least once a month

In terms of frequent players — defined as those who play at least once per month — India tops the list (178 million), followed by China (over 60 million) and Vietnam (over 16 million).

The scale of Asia's pickleball growth is difficult to overstate. It fundamentally reframes the argument that this sport is merely an American craze, and it gives real weight to the global pickleball bid.

As ESPN reported, the IOC requires a sport to be practiced by men in at least 75 countries across four continents and by women in at least 40 countries across three continents — and pickleball's Asian explosion puts it squarely on that path.

Where Does USA Pickleball Fit In?

Despite the momentum established by the WPF-IPF merger, pickleball's Olympic bid isn't quite so cut and dry.

Since 2023, a third organization has been championing the sport's growth on the international level: the Global Pickleball Federation.

And just a few days ago, it posted this to Instagram, from a location you may recognize — Lausanne, Switzerland:

With the greatest sense of urgency, purpose and determination, the Global Pickleball Federation officially became the first international governing body to place the sport of pickleball in the funnel for future IOC compliance and Olympic recognition this week in Switzerland.

The GPF, which is supported by USA Pickleball, says the plans are in motion "to accelerate pickleball's future at the highest level of competition on a global scale."

Rifkind doesn't share their enthusiasm, calling this "a lot of smoke and mirrors."

"The Global Pickleball Federation, for all of their talk, their bylaws are not IOC compliant," he said.

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A post shared by USA Pickleball (@usapickleball)

The Fragmentation Problem at the Heart of the Pickleball Olympic Bid

This is precisely why the pickleball Olympic bid has stalled for years. With multiple organizations claiming to represent the sport globally, the IOC has had no single federation to recognize.

The merger changes that — at least partially. The one-sport, two-standards dynamic that has plagued the international scene for years may finally be giving way to something resembling order.

That said, the GPF's involvement with USA Pickleball complicates the picture. The Global Pickleball Alliance and Global Pickleball Rankings remain factors to watch as the merged federation seeks sole recognition.

This is arguably the most important structural challenge pickleball has ever faced. Whether it gets resolved cleanly will determine whether a pickleball Olympic bid goes forward or stalls again.

Is 2028 Actually Feasible for a Pickleball Olympic Bid?

Not surprisingly, the biggest hurdle standing in the way of pickleball's adoption as an Olympic sport, says Rifkind, is pickleball itself.

Until now, there were three fragmented governing bodies on the global level (the Global Pickleball Federation is the third), and nobody at the helm.

This merger, he contends, changes that.

"The International Olympic Committee, I can tell you, loves pickleball," says Rifkind. "It checks all the boxes of what they're looking for for any new sport to be accepted. Our biggest problem has been us."

A new board is now working on updated bylines, adhering to the IOC's mantra of every country getting one vote.

What Would a 2028 Olympic Appearance Actually Require?

As for when pickleball could feasibly be in the Olympics?

"There is still a possibility that we could get in 2028," Rifkind contends, though he puts the likelihood below 25 percent. "People say it's impossible. I've heard this directly from the IOC: 'If we want you in, you're in. Period.'"

The new board must be in place, IOC-compliant bylaws must be filed, a World Pickleball Games must be planned, and a CEO and COO must be hired — all before a formal application can even be submitted. It is a compressed timeline, but it's not zero.

What is clear is that the sport has never been better positioned — and the global pickleball ranking data reflects exactly that.

Anyone who has watched pickleball participation numbers surge over the past decade understands that the sport's credibility on the world stage is no longer a question. The only remaining question is organizational.

The best doubles players by DUPR on every continent already show a global sport with world-class depth across multiple regions. That is exactly the kind of evidence the IOC needs to see.

With a merged governing body now formally in place, a headquarters planned in Lausanne, and hundreds of millions of players across Asia energizing the argument, the pickleball Olympic bid has never had more fuel behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current status of the pickleball Olympic bid?

The pickleball Olympic bid took its biggest step forward when the WPF and IPF merged into a single international governing body in June 2025. The merged federation is now preparing a formal IOC application, which requires hundreds of pages of documentation and the appointment of new leadership.

Could pickleball actually make it into the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles?

WPF Founder Seymour Rifkind says it remains possible, though unlikely — placing the odds below 25 percent. The IOC has reportedly expressed direct interest, but the compressed timeline and remaining governance challenges make 2032 or 2036 more realistic targets.

Why did the WPF and IPF merge, and why does it matter for the Olympic bid?

The IOC requires a single international federation to represent any sport seeking Olympic recognition. With multiple fragmented bodies previously claiming authority over global pickleball, the merger removes the sport's biggest structural obstacle to Olympic inclusion.

What role does the Global Pickleball Federation play in the Olympic bid?

The GPF is a competing international federation supported by USA Pickleball, and WPF Founder Rifkind has called their IOC compliance claims "smoke and mirrors." The existence of a third governing body remains a complication the merged WPF will need to address before the IOC grants full recognition.

How does pickleball's growth in Asia strengthen its Olympic case?

A new UPA Asia study found that 282 million people across 12 Asian territories play pickleball at least once per month. That level of participation across multiple continents goes directly to the IOC's requirement that a sport be widely practiced in at least 75 countries across four continents for men and 40 countries across three continents for women.