The first Major League Pickleball Nations Cup ended with an unbeaten champion. Team USA blanked Latin America 3-0 in Sunday's final. Eight teams, each representing a region of the world, spent three days at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas. The Dink says the event's lasting value may be the exposure it gave international players.
What happened
The American roster featured Ben Johns, CJ Klinger, Will Howells, Anna Bright, Tyra Black and Kate Fahey. It went 5-0 for the event and took 14 of 18 individual games. Only one of its five matches went to a DreamBreaker.
The final
Latin America reached the title match on a three-match winning streak, despite losing its opener 3-0 to Europe East. In the final, the Americans won every game:
- Women's doubles: Bright and Fahey edged Mari Humberg and Alexa Schull, 11-9.
- Men's doubles: Johns and Klinger beat Eric Oncins and Nico Acevedo 11-1, conceding a single point.
- Mixed doubles: Bright and Johns topped Schull and Oncins, 11-6.
Semifinals
USA beat Europe East 3-1. Andrei Daescu and Daria Walczak won a 14-12 mixed game against Black and Howells, but Johns and Bright took the next mixed game and ended the match. On the other side, Latin America beat Asia Domestic 3-1. Asia Domestic won the men's game 11-9, then Latin America won both mixed games 11-3.
Pool play
USA won Group A with a 3-0 record. Asia Domestic went 2-1 and took the second semifinal berth. Its loss to the Americans, 21-18, was the only DreamBreaker of the event. Europe West finished 1-2, while Canada lost all three matches.
Group B was a three-way tie at 2-1 between Latin America, Europe East and Australia. Tiebreakers put Latin America first and Europe East second, leaving Australia out. The Australians had beaten both Asia International and Europe East, but a 3-0 defeat to Latin America cost them. Asia International lost all three.
Beyond the results
The Dink noted that players from Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, China, India and several European countries took part. For many, it was their first taste of the league's team format, which features coaching during play and teammates on the sideline. Bright said the weekend was more fun than she had expected, and she mentioned the crowd's USA chants. She hopes the event comes back. The Dink also acknowledged an uneven level of talent across the field, which it called natural for a sport still developing abroad.
What it means for you
You don't have to be a touring pro to take something from this event:
- Team play is a blast. The atmosphere came from players competing for each other. If your club or league runs team nights, consider joining one.
- Growth needs reps. The Dink's view is that events like this give players from newer pickleball regions valuable experience, which can help narrow the gap over time.
- Find your level. If watching the best players makes you curious about your own game, the Vara Performance ratings explainer is a good starting point.
If you would rather play than watch, Vara Performance lists these upcoming tournaments:
- 15th Annual East Valley Tournament, Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at Venture Out Sportsplex in Arizona (MMP Sanctioned)
- The Cleveland Paddle Battle, Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Erie Pickleball in Ohio
- West Virginia State Pickleball Championship, Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Hazel & J.W. Ruby Community Center (MMP Sanctioned)
- NP Boston Classic Powered by Onix, Saturday, November 7, 2026, at PICKLR Danvers in Massachusetts (MMP Sanctioned)
- The Atlanta Gold Cup, Saturday, November 7, 2026, at ITP Training Academy in Georgia
Look at each event page for divisions and registration details before you sign up.
Source
This explainer draws on reporting by The Dink, in its article Team USA Dominates Inaugural MLP Nations Cup, but International Pickleball is the Real Winner.