Senior Pickleball Tournaments Coming to Nottingham in 2026

The UK Senior Pickleball Association — a national organisation launched in late 2025 — has planned senior pickleball events at Nottingham Tennis Centre as part of its inaugural 2026 tour. The schedule includes both an announced summer event and a confirmed winter Masters tournament.

Who Are the UK Senior Pickleball Association?

The UKSPA launched in December 2025 with a clear and focused mission: to create structured, competitive opportunities specifically for players aged 60 and above. It's modelled closely on similar senior associations that have driven explosive pickleball growth in the United States, where the senior circuit is one of the most active and well-organised in the sport.

The association is self-funded through sponsorship and membership fees, and has been explicit that it will not seek financial support that could affect the three recognised UK governing bodies — Pickleball England, Pickleball Scotland and Pickleball Wales. It positions itself as an addition to the existing structure, not a rival to it.

The ambitions don't stop at the UK either. The UKSPA has already begun preliminary discussions with the US Senior Pickleball Association about organising a biennial Ryder Cup-style international tournament, with the inaugural event planned for the UK in 2027. That's a remarkable goal for an organisation in only its first year.

The 2026 Tour Schedule

The UKSPA announced eight events spread across the UK, from April through to December:

April 3-5 — Launch Event, Telford Tennis Centre
May 6-8 — North East Open, We Do Pickleball
July 9-10 — Hampshire Open, Dinks
August 4-5 — 70+ Open, Nottingham Tennis Centre (unconfirmed — see note below)
September 2-4 — English Open, Telford Tennis Centre
September 22-24 — West Midlands Open, Courtside
November 3-5 — Welsh Open, Newport
December 8-10 — Tour Finale, Inverclyde (Invite Only)
December 27-31 — 70+ English Masters, Nottingham Tennis Centre ⭐ (confirmed)

August Event — Unconfirmed

A 70+ Open was announced for August 4-5 at Nottingham Tennis Centre, however no registration page has been published and we cannot confirm this event is still going ahead. Check ukspba.co.uk for current status.

Confirmed: UK Seniors 70+ English Masters — December 2026

What is confirmed is the UK Seniors 70+ English Masters at Nottingham Tennis Centre, University Boulevard, NG7 2QH on 27–31 December 2026.

Registration: via the Swish Sports App
Entry fee: £20–£50 per player
Contact: info@ukspba.co.uk

This is the event to have in your diary if you're a competitive 70+ player in the East Midlands. Check ukspba.co.uk for registration details as they are published.

What Happens at a UKSPA Event?

The UKSPA has put significant thought into how its tournaments run, and the format is designed to make the experience as smooth and fair as possible for competitors.

All events are managed through the Swish Sports App, which handles everything from registration through to live scoring. Scores are uploaded to DUPR — the Dreamland Universal Pickleball Rating system — in real time, meaning every match contributes to your official rating.

Divisions are split into five-year age groups and three skill levels based on DUPR ratings: below 3.0, 3.0 to 3.5, and 3.5 and above. This matters because it means you're genuinely competing against players of similar ability, not just players of similar age. A 3.5-rated 70-year-old won't be playing against a 3.0-rated 70-year-old in the same bracket.

Sessions are organised into four-hour blocks, which means there's no standing around waiting all day between matches — a common frustration at less well-organised events. European referees officiate every event, adding a level of professionalism that's often absent at grassroots tournaments.

Do You Need to Be a UKSPA Member to Enter?

No. You don't need to be a member to compete in UKSPA events, which is a sensible decision that keeps the tour open and accessible.

Membership does come with benefits though — 12.5% off tournament entry fees, discounts at various pickleball centres and on equipment, and full personal injury insurance. If you're planning to play multiple events across the season, membership would likely pay for itself fairly quickly.

Registration for all events is handled through the Swish Sports App, and you'll need a DUPR account and rating to enter. If you don't have one yet, it's free to create at mydupr.com — you just need to log some match scores to generate a rating.

Why Nottingham Tennis Centre?

Nottingham Tennis Centre on University Boulevard is a large multi-sport facility that hires courts for pickleball tournament events. It already hosts national-level tennis competitions — including the annual Lexus Nottingham Open — which makes it well suited for structured competitive play.

The venue has good transport links: the NET tram stops nearby at University of Nottingham, and there are bus routes from the city centre. Parking is available on site, and the complex has changing facilities and a café.

For those travelling from elsewhere in the East Midlands, Nottingham is straightforward to reach by train, with direct services from Leicester, Derby, Sheffield and Chesterfield.

Should You Go Even If You're Not Competing?

Absolutely. Watching competitive senior pickleball is genuinely entertaining even if you've never played — the pace is faster than most beginners expect, the dinking exchanges at the kitchen line can go on for extraordinary lengths of time, and the standard of play at a properly organised DUPR-rated tournament is well above your average club session.

If you're a newer player thinking about entering competitive play in the future, attending as a spectator first is one of the best things you can do. You'll get a feel for how tournaments run, what the different skill levels look like in practice, and how the DUPR format works in real life.

What's Next?

Keep an eye on the UKSPA website at ukspba.co.uk for registration details and entry information. We'll update this page as further events are confirmed.

In the meantime, if you're looking to get some competitive experience, check out the sessions at Nottingham pickleball clubs and Pickleball Nottingham — both run regular play that will help you build your DUPR rating.