The English Open, the world’s largest indoor pickleball tournament, is moving to a new venue in 2026, with the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham set to host the event from August 11 to 16.
Key Points:
- Stupa Sports partners with Pickleball England for the English Open, bringing advanced sports technology.
- The tournament moves to Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC), offering a massive stage for innovation.
- A comprehensive tech package includes AI-powered match analytics, automated VAR-style line calling, and professional live-streaming.
- This collaboration aims to enhance accuracy, transparency, and overall fan engagement for the rapidly growing sport.
A Bigger Stage for Pickleball Technology
The timing could hardly be better for the partnership. That move gives Stupa Sports a major international platform to showcase its growing sports technology capabilities and demonstrate how AI can reshape the way pickleball is played, officiated and watched.
“Our partnership with Pickleball England reflects a shared vision of using technology to elevate officiating, broadcasting, and fan engagement. As pickleball continues its remarkable global growth, tournaments need technology that can keep pace with the sport’s evolution. Through our AI-powered Decision Review System, real-time match analytics, and broadcast solutions, we aim to deliver greater accuracy, transparency and a richer experience for players, officials and fans. We are excited to bring these innovations to one of Europe’s premier pickleball events," said Megha Gambhir, Co-Founder and CEO of Stupa Sports.
How Stupa Sports Will Transform the English Open
This is much more than a conventional sponsorship deal. Stupa Sports is bringing a broad technology package to the English Open 2026, covering everything from match analysis and officiating to broadcasting and fan engagement.
At the heart of the partnership is AI-powered Match Analytics, which will provide real-time performance data and insights for players, coaches, commentators, broadcasters and spectators.
The tournament will also feature an automated Decision Review System, using video-assistance technology to automate line calls. The aim is to reduce uncertainty during controversial points while giving officials a more accurate and consistent tool for making crucial decisions.
The technology package goes even further, with dynamic broadcast and LED graphics displaying live scores and match insights, alongside professional livestreaming production. For fans watching remotely, that means a more polished and informative viewing experience, regardless of where they are following the action.
Rather than simply adding another layer of technology to the event, Stupa Sports is effectively helping modernise several parts of the tournament experience at once.
From Indian Innovation to Global Sports Technology
Stupa Sports has built its reputation around the belief that India's sports technology sector can compete on the international stage. In recent years, the company has expanded well beyond traditional performance analytics. Its technology portfolio now covers officiating, live scoring, tournament management and broadcast intelligence, with applications across multiple racquet and team sports.
The English Open partnership is therefore another natural step in Stupa Sports' wider international expansion, particularly as pickleball continues to attract players and audiences around the world.
Pickleball England Sees Major Potential
Pickleball England CEO Karen Mitchell also highlighted the importance of technology as the English Open continues to grow in both scale and profile. Her comments underline the broader ambition behind the agreement: using technology not simply to improve individual matches, but to raise the overall standard of the tournament.
“As the English OPEN continues to grow in scale and stature, we remain committed to investing in innovations that enhance the competition experience. Stupa Sports brings valuable expertise in sports technology, and we are excited to work together. We believe this partnership will help us deliver an even higher standard of tournament operations and create a memorable experience for players and fans.”
Stupa Sports' Global Pickleball Push Continues
The English Open is far from Stupa Sports' first major international assignment. The company is already the Official Competition Management Partner for Table Tennis New Zealand and holds BWF certification for its AI-powered Instant Review System across sanctioned badminton tournaments.
Its growing pickleball presence includes serving as Data and Technology Partner for the Pickleball Champions League Asia Finals. Beyond pickleball, Stupa Sports has also deployed its Stupa Cast platform at the Generali Hexagon Cup Padel tournament, while providing AI analytics for Major League Table Tennis and the Prime Volleyball League.
The company has also strengthened its presence in Oceania through partnerships with Table Tennis Australia. That expanding portfolio puts the English Open in a much bigger context. Birmingham is not simply another tournament stop for Stupa Sports; it represents another opportunity for the Indian sports-tech company to establish itself as a serious global player.
Pickleball Meets the Next Generation of Sports Tech
With the English Open moving to the NEC and Stupa Sports bringing AI-powered officiating, real-time analytics and enhanced broadcasting to the event, the 2026 tournament could offer fans more than just world-class pickleball. It could provide a glimpse into how technology will shape the sport's next stage of growth.
As pickleball continues its rapid expansion, tournaments will increasingly need smarter ways to officiate matches, present data and connect fans with the action. Stupa Sports and Pickleball England are betting that the English Open can be a showcase for exactly that future.
