Pickleball  

Phạm Thanh Tuấn, FPT Play CEO, (left) and Craig MacLean, CEO of AB InBev Southeast Asia, seen in the press conference announcing the Michelob ULTRA - Asia Open 2026 on May 8 in HCM CIty. Photos courtesy of FPT Play

HCM CITY – The Michelob ULTRA - Asia Open 2026 pickleball tournament will deliver billions of đồng in prize money to top-ranked players during its debut in Việt Nam next month.

The event, which is co-organised by America & Asia Connect Company Limited (AAC) and FPT Play, will gather about 600 players from the Asia-Pacific region competing in five categories: men's and women's singles and doubles, and mixed doubles.

The Rally Scoring format will be applied in the competition, ensuring fast-paced and highly competitive matches featuring many exciting tactical moments.

The tournament will take place from June 4-7 for total prize money of VNĐ3 billion (US$115,000) in HCM City.

With the message "Step into the Flow", the organisers said that the tournament aims to celebrate the combination of strategy, reflexes, and competitive inspiration – elements considered central to modern pickleball.

AAC is a pioneer in tourism, sports, and entertainment. The company has successfully organised international sporting events in Đà Nẵng such as the PPA Tour Asia - Vietnam Cup 2025, the Vietnam-Brazil Football Festival 2024, and the Vietnam-UK Football Festival 2025.

AAC Director Dương Quang Thuận said: "Through the Michelob ULTRA Pickleball Tournament - Asia Open 2026, we aim to continue creating a professional, open, and highly connected playing field for the pickleball community in Việt Nam and the region.

"This is not only a place for athletes to compete, but also an opportunity for Việt Nam to further demonstrate its ability to organise high-quality sporting events, while strengthening its connection with the international pickleball community.”

Vietnamese Lý Hoàng Nam (centre), one of the best pickleball players in Asia, will take part in the tournament.

Accompanying the tournament as the title sponsor is Michelob ULTRA – a beer brand belonging to the AB InBev group.

Craig MacLean, CEO of AB InBev Southeast Asia, said that pickleball shared similarities with the spirit of his brand, including dynamism, connection, and shared experiences. He said it was a great honour to be part of the event and wished the tournament great success.

PVNA, one of pioneering organisations in Việt Nam's pickleball scene, will oversee professional management, while Pickleball World Communications (PWC Pickleball) will be responsible for international communications.

FPT Play, a leading television and digital content brand in Việt Nam, owned by FPT Telecom (a subsidiary of FPT Group, will join hands in organising activities and take charge of broadcasting duties.

All matches will be broadcast exclusively, with commentary and Full HD quality, on FPT Play platforms such as the website fptplay.vn, FPT Play Box, and official social media channels of FPT Play and the tournament. — VNS