South African Pickleball Eyes Next Generation After World Cup Experience

Photo Credit: Pickleball Federation of South Africa (PFEDSA)

Five years into its local journey, pickleball is already competing internationally, with South Africa now looking to turn early momentum into a lasting sporting pathway.

Johannesburg, South Africa (17 September 2026) – South African pickleball is still in its infancy, but the sport’s rapid rise has already taken it onto the international stage, and the Pickleball Federation of South Africa (PFEDSA) believes the best is yet to come.

South Africa recently competed at the Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam, with two teams representing the country in the Open and 50+ categories.

The 10-player Open team progressed through the group stages and reached the Round of 32, where they came up against top seeds Vietnam. The eight-player 50+ side went one step further, reaching the Round of 16 before their campaign ended against Brazil, who went on to win the tournament.

For PFEDSA chairperson Lehan Botha, however, the results were only part of the story.

“The feedback that we received from the players that were there was that it was a life-changing experience to be a part of.”

With pickleball having only really established itself in South Africa over the past five years, the World Cup provided local players with an opportunity to test themselves against countries where the sport is far more established.

Botha says South Africa is still catching up with the leading pickleball nations, but believes the country’s players are already capable of competing at a high level.

“We can compete. We’re maybe not on the top of the pile, but we’re definitely competing.”

South Africa’s teams also featured a mix of locally based players and South Africans living abroad, following a selection process designed to give players from both groups an opportunity to represent the country.

One of the tournament highlights was a spectacular point from Shane du Bois, one of South Africa’s leading locally based players, showcasing the athleticism and speed that has helped attract new audiences to the sport.

But the federation’s ambitions extend well beyond international competition.

PFEDSA is just a year old and has already established provincial structures, while it is working towards introducing pickleball to more young players across the country.

Botha’s biggest priority is building a strong junior pathway, with the federation aiming to introduce thousands of schoolchildren to the sport each year.

“If it was up to me, I would put it into primary schools as a league tomorrow.”

He believes the accessibility of pickleball could be one of its biggest advantages in attracting young players.

“It’s a very, very easy sport to get into. It’s not a fencing thing. It doesn’t require so much skill in the beginning. You have time to develop those skills.”

The next opportunity to see South Africa’s emerging talent comes at the SA Pickleball National Championships, taking place from 24–27 September in Roodepoort, Johannesburg.

Now the players returning from Vietnam have brought something arguably just as valuable as results, and that’s international experience that can be shared with the next generation of South African pickleball players.