News & updates
Short, dated notes and weekly roundups — pro tours, league news, and paddle launches — that affect what Canadian shoppers see in stores. For deeper buying advice, browse ourguides (start withpaddles under $100 orfoam cores explained).
The CNPL's Biggest Markets: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver's Franchises
Canada's three largest metro areas all field CNPL franchises, and this season each is telling a different story on the court. Here's where things stand.
- cnpl
- teams
- feature
- toronto
- vancouver
- montreal
Where to Play Pickleball in Toronto Right Now
Six verified Toronto and GTA spots to play pickleball, from free public parks to year-round indoor clubs, with addresses, court counts, and links to each venue's own site.
- guide
- toronto
- where-to-play
- courts
CNPL Central Split Results, and a Young Vancouver Owl to Watch
The Prairie Pronghorns bounced back in London, Vancouver Owls and the hometown Smash impressed, and debutant Armaan Jiwa Mawji gave Vancouver fans a name to remember.
- results
- cnpl
- one-to-watch
- rising-star
Canadian Pickleball: CNPL Lands in London
The CNPL's Central Split hits London this weekend, with the PPA's Vancouver stop and the national championship both on the horizon as participation keeps climbing.
- weekly-roundup
- cnpl
- ppa-tour
- pickleball-canada
Canadian Pickleball: Nationals Head to Toronto
Canada's National Championship is three weeks out, new survey numbers show the sport still growing fast, and the CNPL's fourth season is bringing international talent to Canadian courts.
- weekly-roundup
- pickleball-canada
- participation
- cnpl
Gear Roundup: Onix Theory Foam Under $100
Onix launched the Theory foam-core paddle as a sub-$100 play, 11SIX24 teased Jelly Bean 2 for late August, and budget foam continues to redefine what recreational buyers should expect from mid-tier specs.
- roundup
- paddles
- foam-core
- onix
- budget
- gear
Selkirk acquires Bread & Butter
Selkirk Sport acquired Bread & Butter Pickleball in May 2026. The brands say they will keep designing paddles independently while sharing Selkirk's distribution and operations — a clear signal of consolidation in a crowded paddle market.
- brands
- selkirk
- bread-and-butter
- industry
Engage ships its second full-foam paddle, the X2
Engage followed 2025's Profoam with the X2, a full-foam paddle built around a Quad Density foam core. Pro Eric Oncins switched to the X2 in early 2026 and climbed into the top 10 in men's and mixed doubles on the PPA Tour — a useful signal that foam-core designs keep gaining traction at the competitive end of the market.
- paddles
- foam-core
- engage
- pro-tour
JOOLA Refreshes the Pro V Line for 2026
JOOLA's 2026 Pro V update — Ben Johns' signature series — adds KineticFrame technology designed to flex and store energy on contact, then release it into the ball. The refresh keeps JOOLA in the premium all-court conversation even as foam-core competitors push durability claims.
- paddles
- joola
- pro-v
- ben-johns
Li-Ning enters the U.S. pro paddle market
Chinese sporting-goods giant Li-Ning launched two paddles aimed at competitive U.S. players in early 2026. The entry is part of a wider wave of new-brand and crossover athletic brands testing the pro paddle market this year.
- paddles
- brands
- li-ning
- pro-tour
Anna Leigh Waters leaves Paddletek for Franklin
The sport's top women's player ended her longtime Paddletek sponsorship and signed a long-term deal with Franklin Pickleball in early 2026 — one of the biggest sponsor moves of the year. Franklin plans to build signature gear around Waters, including paddles in its C45 carbon-fiber line.
- sponsorships
- paddles
- pro-tour
- franklin
