CelcomDigi allocates RM1 million to expand Malaysia's pickleball courts

Malaysia’s pickleball boom just got a corporate test of scale. CelcomDigi Berhad has allocated up to RM1 million through Arena CelcomDigi to help build out courts and widen access nationwide, with the first support already directed to Pickle Mines at The Mines.

The fund, announced on April 10, 2026, is being rolled out over one year in phases, and the structure tells the real story. Facilities with three courts or fewer can receive RM5,000, those with four to six courts can get RM10,000, and sites with seven or more courts qualify for RM15,000. CelcomDigi said the package includes both cash and in-kind support, a signal that the company is aiming at the practical bottlenecks that have kept many venues from expanding: court build-outs, equipment, and the amenities that make a venue usable day after day.

The eligibility pool is broad enough to reflect how pickleball has spread across Malaysia. New or existing court owners can apply, including local businesses and residential associations, as long as the submission is complete and approved by CelcomDigi. That matters in a sport where growth has not been limited to premium sports clubs. Neighborhood venues, condo facilities and grassroots operators have helped turn pickleball into a mainstream recreational habit, and the fund is designed to reach that layer of the market.

Chan May Ling, CelcomDigi’s head of brand and marketing services, framed the initiative as part of a larger view of connectivity, one that is about bringing people together in shared spaces rather than only providing digital services. CelcomDigi said the goal is to improve playing environments, help operators deliver better facilities and enable more Malaysians to stay active and develop their skills.

The backing arrives as Malaysia’s pickleball ecosystem has moved well beyond novelty. The Malaysia Pickleball Association, which describes itself as the national governing body, says its ecosystem now includes more than 400,000 players, 472 venues, 500 certified coaches and 74 tournaments. That scale helps explain why court access has become the sport’s central pressure point, especially in crowded urban markets where bookings fill quickly and demand keeps rising.

CelcomDigi previously said Arena CelcomDigi would support pickleball, esports and lawn bowl in 2025. With this fund, pickleball has moved from a branding promise to a real infrastructure push. The question now is whether RM1 million can do more than finance a few headline venues, and instead help Malaysia turn fast-growing interest into a sturdier, more accessible court network.