This weekend, the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex belongs to pickleball. Major League Pickleball is holding the final regular season event of the year inside the State Farm Field House, with the league’s top teams competing for standings points ahead of the 2026 MLP Playoffs. The Orlando Squeeze is the host team, and this marks the first time MLP has brought its regular season finale to Walt Disney World.
We walked in expecting something closer to a weekend game on the local HOA court. Instead, we watched a group of players who are true athletes, with a level of polish that made it clear this is a professional league. The biggest difference from a backyard game is speed. What looks casual from a distance turns into a masterclass in hand-eye coordination up close, though it’s still the kind of game almost anyone can pick up and enjoy.
One of the players on hand was Jack Sock, a former Olympic gold medalist in tennis who now competes on the PPA Tour and for the Orlando Squeeze in Major League Pickleball. It’s a question he has almost certainly answered a thousand times, but when we asked him what draws him to pickleball over his old sport, he still took the time to explain it.
“For me, it’s a lot more fun,” Sock said. “It’s a very enjoyable sport that people can get into at the ground level and have a lot of fun doing it. Tennis is a lot harder to get into, and that’s why pickleball is the fastest-growing sport. It’s so accessible.”
The field house is decked out in Orlando Squeeze banners for the event, and a large VIP section sits elevated in the middle of the courts, giving guests a full view of the action from both sides. Fans can also catch the team’s mascot, Lil’ Squeezy, an orange who plays pickleball and is an easy favorite for kids and kid-at-heart adults alike.
Since we were at Walt Disney World, the athletes weren’t the only ones on the court. Minnie Mouse and Goofy stopped by and joined in, with Goofy showing up with a jar of pickles in hand for a bit of comic relief. Watching Minnie put together a solid serve and watching Goofy play exactly the way you would expect Goofy to play was one of the highlights of the visit.
Groups, Schedule and Tickets
Major League Pickleball’s Orlando event runs July 30 through August 2, with the league’s teams split into two groups.
Group A: Brooklyn Pickleball Team, Las Vegas Night Owls, Miami Pickleball Club, Orlando Squeeze, Phoenix Flames and St. Louis Shock
Group B: California Black Bears, Carolina Hogs, Chicago Slice, LA Mad Drops, New Jersey Fives and Palm Beach Royals
The session schedule is as follows:
- July 30: Session 1
- July 31: Session 2
- August 1: Session 3
- August 2: Session 4
Guests should purchase either a standard event ticket, available daily or as a package, or a Hospitality ticket. You do not need both. Tickets are still available for this weekend’s action through Ticketmaster, and fans can check the Major League Pickleball website for schedule and format updates as the event gets closer.
If you’re near Walt Disney World this weekend, this is a rare chance to watch professional pickleball at ESPN Wide World of Sports with a little Disney magic mixed in.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex sits on more than 250 acres at Walt Disney World and is already home to Disney Soccer and Disney Spring Training. The complex has hosted 70 different sports over the years and includes 16 baseball and softball fields, a 9,500-seat stadium, an indoor arena, two field houses built for basketball, volleyball, eSports and other indoor sports, and 17 multi-purpose outdoor fields for soccer, football and field hockey.
