Bacolod Metropolis—the identical metropolis within the Philippines that’s on the centre of a pickleball noise brouhaha—is about to play host to probably the most formidable pickleball tournaments the nation has seen. With a prize pool of ₱1 million and near 800 athletes registered, the Benitez Million Pickleball Cup is shaping as much as be a landmark occasion for Negros Occidental’s fast-growing pickleball group.
The match, spearheaded by Negros Occidental third district Consultant Javier Miguel Benitez, will carry collectively gamers from Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete Metropolis, Negros Oriental, Manila, and past. Event supervisor Richard Nagac of the One Pickleball Event Group (OPTA) described the competitors as greater than only a battle for medals. “It’s a celebration of group, expertise, and sportsmanship,” he stated throughout a press briefing at Scarborough on 6 October 2026.
Registration has already closed, with organisers agency on not accepting walk-ins. The youngest competitor is a 16-year-old public college scholar, whereas the oldest is a 72-year-old veteran within the Government 50+ class—a testomony to pickleball’s broad enchantment.
Venue, Format, and Prizes of Benitez Million Pickleball Cup
The matches will unfold at Paddle Metropolis on Magsaysay Avenue, the place 10 courts have been readied for the three-day spectacle from 16 to 18 October. The match will function males’s and girls’s doubles throughout 5 divisions: Newbie, Novice, Intermediate, Government 50+, and Open.
Charles Go, one of many co-incorporators, defined that three classes shall be unique to particular divisions, whereas two will stay open to eligible gamers.
Prize Breakdown
- Newbie: ₱20,000, ₱15,000, ₱10,000
- Novice: ₱30,000, ₱20,000, ₱10,000
- Intermediate: ₱40,000, ₱30,000, ₱20,000
- Open: ₱60,000, ₱30,000, ₱20,000
- Government 50+: ₱50,000, ₱30,000, ₱20,000
USA Pickleball guidelines will govern play, with the match crew overseeing officiating and match administration. “We wish to preserve pickleball the place it belongs,” Nagac emphasised, underscoring the organisers’ dedication to integrity and honest play.
Safety and operational necessities have been ready, in keeping with co-incorporator Dexter Telis. Spectators shall be allowed contained in the venue, although entry to the courts shall be restricted to gamers concerned in ongoing matches. Stay protection can also be anticipated to be introduced.
Pickleball With a Objective
Past the competitors, the occasion carries a social mission. Via a partnership with Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) and its Mingo Meals programme, a part of the registration charge will help vitamin initiatives for malnourished kids in Negros Occidental. Of the ₱800 registration charge, ₱100 shall be donated to NVC.
Mingo Meals, priced at round ₱10 per serving, are designed to be reasonably priced and handy, offering nourishment to communities the place malnutrition stays a urgent concern. Co-incorporator Jet Pili summed it up neatly: “It’s not simply pickleball, however with a objective.”
Whereas the match won’t function worldwide gamers, organisers imagine the Benitez Million Pickleball Cup may assist place Negros as a vacation spot for pickleball within the Philippines. Pili described the occasion as an funding in each sport and group improvement, expressing hope that it’s going to unfold positivity as pickleball continues to achieve traction nationwide.
Nagac closed with a easy however telling assertion: “We’re prepared now to serve.”
This isn’t simply one other match. It’s a showcase of pickleball’s rise within the Philippines, a celebration of group, and a reminder that sport generally is a platform for one thing greater than competitors. Negros is prepared, and the paddles are about to swing.
