“With this expansion, we’re creating more opportunities for athletes at every stage of their journey," says NPL CEO Rod Davis
The National Pickleball League (NPL ), a senior pro (age 50+) team-based league featuring 12 teams representing cities across the country, announced a major expansion this week that deepens its community connections while expanding its offerings to a broader base of players.
Notably, NPL will expand beyond the 50+ pro division by adding three new offerings:
A new league for elite 40+ players A new league for elite 60+ players A new “Next Up Pros” league for 50+ players This means NPL will now have amateur teams representing their cities alongside their existing pro league. These divisions consist of 40+, 60+, and a development division for 50+ called “Next Up Pros” who aspire to be drafted and compete in the NPL’s 50+ pro league.
Each team division will have a regular season of events before competing for its respective league championship.
“Our mission has always been to showcase the incredible talent, athleticism, and competitiveness of players over age 50, and we’ve seen nothing but this in our first three seasons of play,” says NPL CEO Rod Davis.
“With this expansion, we’re creating more opportunities for athletes at every stage of their journey.” We’re thrilled to announce a major expansion for the 2026 season! The NPL is growing with the addition of three new age-specific divisions:
💥 A new league for elite 40+
💥 A new league for eli... FULL ARTICLE FOUND ON: https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/npl-announces-major-2026-expansion-including-new-40-elite-division/
