Nearly 500 athletes are preparing for the 2026 Construction Industry Pickleball Tournament after the group draw was completed on 9 November. The competition, themed “Connecting for Success,” will take place from 14 November at the US Pickleball Club on 70 An Duong Street in Hanoi, featuring 236 pairs across five events.
With the matchups taking shape, players now have a clearer picture of their group-stage opponents as they prepare for the tournament's round-robin opening and subsequent knockout rounds.
Key Highlights
- 236 pairs across five events: The tournament features men's and mixed doubles, women's doubles, and two leadership categories.
- Group draw completed on 9 November: The ceremony was held by Construction Newspaper in Hanoi ahead of the 14 November opening.
- Round-robin format followed by knockouts: Each event begins with group-stage matches, with qualifying pairs progressing to the elimination rounds.
- VND 31 million in team prizes: The top three teams overall will receive VND 15 million, VND 10 million and VND 6 million respectively.
2026 Construction Industry Pickleball Tournament Completes Group Draw
Construction Newspaper conducted the official draw on the afternoon of 9 November at its premises on the sixth floor of 2 Nguyen Cong Hoan Street, Giang Vo Ward, Hanoi.
The ceremony was attended by Nguyen Thanh Tung, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Construction Trade Union, and La Duc Hung, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Construction Newspaper and Standing Deputy Head of the Organising Committee. Representatives from the referee team and participating delegations were also present.
Hung described the draw as an important step towards ensuring a transparent, fair and professional competition. He said the organisers hoped the tournament would identify outstanding players while encouraging solidarity, interaction and sportsmanship across the construction industry.
He also called on referees to officiate objectively and reminded athletes to uphold the principles of “Sportsmanship, Solidarity, Honesty, Nobility” throughout the competition.
Photo Credit: Vietnam.vn
Five Events Feature 236 Pairs
The tournament will feature five events, with all categories beginning in a round-robin group format before progressing to the knockout stage.
The breakdown is as follows:
- Men’s Doubles Leadership: 32 pairs divided into 10 groups. The 10 group winners, two runners-up from the four-pair groups and four best runners-up from the three-pair groups will advance to the round of 16.
- Mixed Doubles Leadership: Seven pairs split into two groups. The top two pairs from each group will qualify for the semifinals.
- Men’s Doubles: 108 pairs across 36 groups of three. All 36 group winners and the 28 best runners-up will progress to the knockout stage.
- Mixed Doubles: 62 pairs across 20 groups, including 18 groups of three and two groups of four. The 20 group winners, two runners-up from the four-pair groups and 10 best runners-up from the three-pair groups will advance.
- Women’s Doubles: 27 pairs divided into nine groups of three. The nine group winners and seven best runners-up will qualify for the round of 16.
Athletes can check their match schedules through sportconnect.vn or the links that the organisers will share in the respective athlete groups.
Match Format and Scoring Rules
The competition will use different target scores as players progress through the tournament. The group stage and early rounds will be played to 11 points, with players switching sides when one side reaches six points.
The quarterfinals will be played to 13 points, with a side switch at seven. For the semifinals and finals, matches will be played to 15 points, with players changing sides at eight.
All matches will follow traditional side-out scoring, meaning only the serving team can earn points. There is also no two-point winning margin requirement, so a game ends as soon as a team reaches the designated target.
For line calls, the organisers have adopted the principle that any doubt should favour the opponent. Players are responsible for making calls on their own side of the court and should call a ball out only when they can clearly see that it has landed outside the line. If a ball cannot be immediately called out, it will be considered in.
Team Standings and Cash Prizes
Alongside the individual event results, participating teams will also compete for the overall team standings. Teams will earn three points for a first-place finish, two points for second place and one point for third. If a winning pair consists of athletes representing two different teams, the points will be divided equally between them.
As announced earlier, the three highest-ranked teams will receive cash prizes of VND 15 million, VND 10 million and VND 6 million, respectively.
Vietnam Railways Delegation Highlights the Challenge Ahead
Nguyen Van Ha, head of the Vietnam National Railway Corporation delegation, said athletes should continue training and studying their potential opponents now that the draw has been completed.
He noted that the group pairings still need to be fully established, while the men's doubles event will present a particularly demanding challenge. With 108 pairs competing, players could need to win seven matches to reach the final, making physical fitness an important factor alongside technical ability.
Ha explained that the qualifying rounds may require less time and energy, but the pressure will increase as the competition advances. He also stressed the importance of securing a strong group-stage result, as a single mistake in the knockout rounds could end a player's campaign.
Beyond the pursuit of medals, he said the tournament offers athletes an opportunity to connect, exchange knowledge and gain valuable experience. He also praised the organisers and national-level referees for their professionalism, expressing hope that the competition would become an annual event that strengthens cooperation among organisations in the construction sector.
With the group draw completed and schedules being made available, all attention now turns to the courts as the tournament approaches its 14 November opening.
