Vietnam's Pickleball D-Joy Tour 2026 Kicks Off With Petrolimex Cup

On the morning of March 19, 2026, at the Pickleball D-Joy South Saigon complex in Ho Chi Minh City, the signing ceremony for the strategic partnership and the opening of the Pickleball D-Joy Tour 2026 Leg 1 Petrolimex Cup officially took place. The four-day event, held at 61 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Tan My Ward, ran through March 22 and set a participation benchmark that organizers described as a community sensation before the first paddle was swung.

Right from the start, the D-Joy Tour 2026 created a sensation. Just three weeks after its announcement, the tournament attracted 1,296 registrations, including 149 international athletes. That number is a meaningful step up from the prior season's reach: the four stages of the Pickleball D-Joy Tour 2025 together drew more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from 20 countries and nearly 3,500 matches were organized.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Dang Quang Anh, President of D-Joy, shared that D-Joy does not pursue short-term growth but chooses a more difficult path: building a long-term foundation. "We are committed to continuing to organize professionally, operate according to standards, and communicate strongly to create widespread impact. The trust of our partners, sponsors, athletes, fans, and the sports-loving community has created a synergistic force, helping D-Joy not only move faster but also go further and more steadily on its development path," Mr. Quang Anh added.

The sponsor roster behind Leg 1 reflects the scale of institutional confidence in the tour. Vietnam National Petroleum Group, Petrolimex, returns as Title Sponsor, with TTC Group as Diamond Sponsor, Facolos as Official Match Ball Sponsor, Vietnam Airlines as Sole Transportation Sponsor, Coca-Cola as Exclusive Beverage Sponsor, Coolmate as Clothing Sponsor, Nam Saigon International General Hospital as Medical Sponsor, HTV Television and HTV-TMS Company as Media Sponsor, alongside other brands including Sacombank, Vloop, Joma, Grand Castella, Wika, Potato Clothing, Kaiwin, Zocker, and Jogarbola. Petrolimex's continued involvement follows its title role in the 2025 edition, and the partnership carries added weight as a milestone in the company's brand positioning message: "Heritage - Dedication - Pioneering."

On behalf of the organizing unit, D-Joy stated: "Petrolimex's continued partnership from the very beginning is a crucial boost for us to improve the quality and professionalism of the tournament. Our goal is not just a successful season, but to create a sustainable foundation for the development of Vietnamese pickleball."

The infrastructure backing those ambitions is considerable. D-Joy has developed a system of 76 courts across three complexes: 11 courts at Saigon Riverfront Park, 13 courts at Tan Van Kim Quy Island in Dong Nai, and the largest complex in Asia with 52 courts in Tan My Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. D-Joy is also the sole representative from Vietnam to co-found the Global Pickleball Alliance, collaborating with prestigious organizations from the USA, Australia, India, the UK, Canada, and Europe to standardize the world competition and ranking system.

The total prize value of the Pickleball D-Joy Tour 2026 is nearly 3 billion VND, including cash and valuable gifts. The D-Joy Tour 2026, as well as other tournaments planned for the year, are expected to serve as a springboard to bring Vietnamese pickleball closer to major arenas such as the SEA Games, ASIAD, and further to the Olympics. With Leg 1 now complete, the tour's remaining legs will determine whether the registration surge translates into the continental-level recognition D-Joy has publicly committed to chasing.