SELANGOR PLAN TO INTRODUCE PICKLEBALL IN SUKMA 2026 - AMIRUDIN

SHAH ALAM, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari says the state plans to introduce pickleball as a medal sport in the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA).

He said that besides becoming more popular among locals, sports experts are also projecting the Asian region to become the world's hub for pickleball, with the emergence of an additional 100 million new players in the next five years.

"One of the interesting factors about pickleball is its inclusiveness, regardless of whether one is young or old, man or woman… everyone can take part…

"Selangor also intends to be the first state to organise the sport of pickleball in the Malaysia Games when it hosts SUKMA 2026, Insya-Allah,” he said during the tabling of the 2025 Selangor Budget at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly here today.

Amirudin said that to prepare the pickleball athletes, the state government would organise the Selangor Pickleball Festival, comprising the Selangor Pickleball International Open Championships, which aims to, among others, attract more visitors in conjunction with the 2025 Visit Selangor Year.

He said this would involve school and district-level competitions to stir an interest in the sport among youngsters and produce new talent.

"Local authorities will also build more pickleball court facilities in public parks by changing badminton courts that are situated in open spaces as badminton is more suitable to be played in closed areas,” he said, adding that RM1 million is allocated for this purpose.

Regarding SUKMA 2026, Amirudin also announced a RM6 million allocation for the implementation of a Sports Development Programme to ensure the Selangor contingent is well prepared for the 22nd edition of the biennial Games.

Selangor last hosted SUKMA in 1998, winning 80 gold medals - a record that has yet to be broken. 

-- BERNAMA