For many in the pickleball industry, the conversation has centered on the sport’s explosive growth in the United States. But that lens may be too narrow. Seymour Rifkind — the founder and president of the World Pickleball Federation and the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA), as well as the founder of the Pickleball Hall of Fame — has spent the past decade building the sport internationally, and from his vantage point, the real story is global.
“This is a global game,” said Rifkind. “The fastest growing country in the world right now with pickleball is Vietnam. Second is Malaysia. So you take a look at Southeast Asia and then you add in India with a billion and a half people, and China with a billion and a half people, and it’s no surprise that within the next couple of years, in my opinion, there’ll be more players coming out of Asia, and the best players will be coming out of Asia. So yeah, the game is certainly global.”
Rifkind’s prediction centers largely on professional dominance. He believes Asia will produce not only more players, but eventually the best players in the world — a shift that would mirror what has already occurred in table tennis and badminton.
He does not see that outcome as speculative, but structural.
“In Asia, they grow up playing ping pong and badminton and pickleball,” he explained. “So if you take a look at China, for instance, over the last 30 years or more, and over half the Olympic medals in badminton and table tennis were won by the Chinese. So do you think they are not going to be the No. 1 players in the world in pickleball, which is a combination of table tennis, badminton and tennis? Absolutely they will.”
For Rifkind, the comparison is rooted in athlete development systems. Countries that already dominate in precision racquet sports have cultural and institutional frameworks that translate naturally to pickleball. If history is any indicator, those systems tend to produce sustained excellence.
The Olympic Inflection Point
If globalization represents one structural shift, Olympic inclusion represents another.
“When the day comes that we actually get accepted at the International Olympic Committee and the announcement comes that we’re going to be in an Olympic — that is going to be a huge moment in the history of pickleball,” said Rifkind.
He frames Olympic acceptance not as symbolism, but as acceleration. In his view, inclusion would transform sponsorship dynamics, elevate international broadcast exposure, and deepen legitimacy within educational and municipal systems worldwide. It would mark a transition from rapid-growth sport to fully institutionalized global competition.
Such a moment would not simply validate what has already happened. It would redefine the scale at which the sport operates.
The Bottom-Up Future
Pickleball’s early growth in the United States followed an unconventional path. It expanded from older demographics downward, as parents and grandparents introduced the sport to younger players.
Rifkind believes that dynamic is reversing.
“The day is going to come very soon where every school in America is going to have pickleball in their program,” he said. “And it’s going to have the bottom-up effect, like all the other sports.”
If that occurs, pickleball would begin to resemble traditional athletic pipelines, where youth participation drives collegiate competition and, ultimately, professional development. The sport would no longer rely primarily on adult adoption. Instead, it would be embedded within school systems, creating generational continuity and long-term competitive depth.
A Sport Moving Into Its Next Phase
Taken together, Rifkind’s perspective suggests pickleball is entering a more structured era. The forces shaping its future are no longer confined to domestic participation rates or short-term market enthusiasm. They include international development systems, governance alignment, Olympic aspirations and youth integration.
For pickleball club operators, that broader context matters. A sport that becomes increasingly global, institutionalized and youth-driven will inevitably raise expectations around programming, training standards and long-term positioning. Understanding where the game is headed — not just where it has been — may prove essential as the industry continues to evolve.
Prefer to listen? The full interview can be found on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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With over a decade spent covering the business side of sports and fitness, Rachel Chonko brings a wealth of experience and a true passion for active communities to Peake Media. As Editor-in-Chief, she’s focused on helping pickleball clubs and fitness facilities thrive, from guiding growth strategies to showcasing the latest industry trends. Rachel also hosts the Club Solutions Magazine Podcast, where she interviews leaders in fitness and pickleball to share insights and success stories with the wider community to give her listeners a competitive edge.
After taking up pickleball herself, Rachel has come to appreciate the sport’s unique blend of social connection and active living — a mix that’s perfectly in line with her editorial philosophy. Connect with her on LinkedIn, or check out her articles below for a deep dive into the energy and culture driving pickleball’s rapid rise.
