Kosmas Pickle Fest 2026 Brings Five-Day PCL Youth Tournament to Cebu

Pickleball returns to the city where it started in the Philippines as Kosmas Pickle Fest 2026 opens tomorrow at Net and Paddle Cebu City, bannered by the PCL Rising Stars U19 Sectional Tournament and running through March 15.

The five-day festival, organized by Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corp. (KAVC) and Sunrise Events, Inc., lands in Cebu with momentum from a successful Mindanao leg. On Feb. 25 at Pickletown in Davao City, Team Velaris, composed of Shesha Bree Biñas, Chrystelle Marjh Elisan, Izzy Lacida, and Jacob Cagas, edged the SABR squad 23-21 in a thrilling finale to clinch gold and lock a slot in the Asia Grand Finals. The Asia Elite Pickleball Academy awarded the team a $1,000 development grant, and PCL Asia is covering airfare, accommodations, and local transportation for the squad's regional campaign.

That result sets the stakes for Cebu. The U19 Rising Stars division, open to registered teams at USD 200 per team, serves as the tournament centerpiece. Adult players compete across Newbie, Low Intermediate, High Intermediate, and Open divisions, in men's, women's, and mixed doubles, spanning the 20+, 35+, and 50+ age brackets, with registration at P3,000 per doubles pair. Milo, Summit Natural Drinking Water, and Pocari Sweat are backing the event.

The Cebu leg carries a specific weight in the sport's Philippine history. Pickleball was first introduced to the country through a clinic in Cebu in 2016, making Net and Paddle something of a homecoming venue. KAVC Operations Director Richard Bachmann framed the decade of growth plainly: "Pickleball's growth over the last decade has been nothing short of phenomenal. From a single introductory clinic in Cebu to more than 320 clubs nationwide, the sport has truly captured the imagination of Filipino athletes."

Beyond the bracket play, KAVC and Sunrise Events have positioned Pickle Fest 2026 as a multi-leg national festival designed to blend elite competition with community engagement and sports tourism across key Philippine regions. Registration for both the U19 and adult categories remains open through the official Pickle Fest 2026 Facebook page.