On the evening of September 2, the opening ceremony of the Heineken Pickleball World Cup 2026 officially took place at Tien Son Sports Arena in Hoa Cuong Ward, marking one of Da Nang’s major international sporting events during the National Day holiday.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized that the significance of the Heineken Pickleball World Cup Da Nang 2026 goes beyond the scale of the tournament, the number of matches, or the number of visitors to the city. More importantly, it brings together different countries, languages, identities, and cultures within a shared space.
According to the Chairman, sport helps bridge geographical distances, overcome language barriers, and create opportunities for athletes and international visitors to learn more about one another’s countries, people, and cultures.
“What Da Nang hopes for most are the friendships formed and the memorable experiences that athletes and visitors will take with them after the tournament. An event may last only a few days, but the connections it creates can endure for much longer,” Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung shared.
The Guinness World Records certificate is presented to the Heineken Pickleball World Cup 2026 for the pickleball tournament featuring athletes representing the most countries and territories.
Da Nang aims to make international sporting events an important part of its event economy, tourism economy, and international exchange activities, thereby promoting the city’s image and creating new experiences for visitors.
Beyond the competitions, the tournament also features exchange and training activities, as well as initiatives connecting sport with technology, businesses, and the community, helping broaden the impact of the event and create new opportunities for cooperation.
A highlight of the opening ceremony was the parade of athlete delegations representing 65 countries and territories into Tien Son Sports Arena, accompanied by a performance involving more than 1,000 officers, soldiers, and cadets from the People’s Police Academy of Viet Nam.
In particular, the Heineken Pickleball World Cup 2026 was officially recognised by Guinness World Records with two world records:
- The pickleball tournament featuring athletes representing the most countries and territories.
- The most valuable pickleball trophy ever recorded.
Following the Guinness World Records certificate presentation, the Heineken Pickleball World Cup 2026 was officially declared open.
The atmosphere of the tournament had already spread across Da Nang in the days leading up to the opening ceremony, as thousands of Vietnamese and international athletes arrived in the city to prepare for competition. The amateur and Pro singles and doubles events began on August 30.
Team Viet Nam is placed in Group A of the Open category alongside Colombia, the Cayman Islands, and Chile, with matches beginning on September 3.
Alongside the competitions, a series of experiential activities including the Heineken Pickleball World Cup exhibition area, Heineken Fun Zone, Heineken Bar, and Heineken Photo Corner provide additional spaces for interaction between fans and athletes from Viet Nam and around the world.
Matches will continue through September 6 at Tien Son Sports Arena and several venues in central Da Nang, including Tuyen Son, Trang Hoang, FitFun, Papi, and Hop Thanh Phat.
On September 6, the tournament will feature the International finals and the closing ceremony, before concluding with the Open team final, scheduled for 5:00 PM, to determine the champions.
DANANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
