Costa del Sol Mijas Open 2026: nearly 300 players bring a major pickleball festival to the Gran Parque

Pickleball returns to Mijas this weekend on a major scale. From Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September 2026, the Gran Parque will host the Costa del Sol Mijas Open, the fifth and penultimate stop of the Cervezas Victoria Pickle Pro Tour season.

The event will bring together 290 players and transform this large green space in Las Lagunas into an open-air sports venue for three days. A total of 866 matches are scheduled across different levels, age groups and formats.

Admission for spectators will be free, with competition beginning from 9:00 am.

When is the Costa del Sol Mijas Open?

The tournament will run across three days:

• Friday 11 September
• Saturday 12 September
• Sunday 13 September

The venue is the Gran Parque de Mijas, in Las Lagunas, where courts will be distributed across the sports area and amphitheatre.

The event marks the return of the national circuit after the summer break and comes at a key point in the season, with only Barcelona remaining before the Master Final in Madrid.

17 courts and matches throughout the day

One of the most striking features of the Mijas Open will be its scale.

The tournament will have 17 courts, including a central show court in the amphitheatre area.

The idea is not simply to hold a competition for registered players. Organisers want to integrate pickleball into the park and make the event accessible to residents, visitors and anyone curious about the sport.

There will also be an introductory court where members of the public can try pickleball for the first time.

Nearly 300 players across 26 categories

The Costa del Sol Mijas Open will bring together players of very different ages and ability levels.

Competition will take place across 26 categories, including 3.5, 4.5 and PRO levels, with singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

There will also be specific categories for over-50s and over-60s, reflecting one of pickleball’s main attractions: it can be competitive while remaining accessible to a wide range of ages.

Gold, silver and two bronze medals will be awarded in each category.

What is pickleball and why is it becoming so popular?

At first glance, pickleball can look like a mixture of tennis and padel, but it has its own identity.

It is played on a smaller court than tennis, using solid paddles and a perforated plastic ball. Matches can be played in singles or doubles.

One of the reasons for its rapid growth is that it is relatively easy to learn. At competitive level, rallies can be fast and demanding, but the sport can also be played recreationally with less physical strain.

That has helped make it popular with both younger players and older adults.

Sunday will host the main PRO finals

The level of competition will increase as the weekend progresses.

Sunday 13 September will feature the main PRO finals, with five decisive matches scheduled to crown the champions in:

• Men’s singles.
• Women’s singles.
• Men’s doubles.
• Women’s doubles.
• Mixed doubles.

For visitors who want to see the highest level of the national circuit, Sunday is likely to be the best day to attend.

Mijas returns after the success of 2025

This will not be the first time the Pickle Pro Tour has visited the municipality.

Mijas also hosted a round last season, when local player María Costantino won the mixed doubles title.

The 2026 edition is considerably larger and arrives at a time when the circuit has been choosing increasingly unusual and high-profile locations to bring the sport closer to the public.

From central Madrid to a floating court

Mijas follows two stops that produced some of the most eye-catching images of the season.

In Madrid, part of the competition was staged in one of the capital’s most recognisable central spaces, while the A Coruña Open featured a pickleball court installed on a floating platform over the sea.

Now the concept changes again.

Instead of a conventional sports complex, the Pickle Pro Tour will be integrated into a large public park, using both its sports facilities and amphitheatre.

Practical information for the Mijas Open 2026

• Event: Costa del Sol Mijas Open 2026.
• Dates: 11 to 13 September.
• Venue: Gran Parque de Mijas, Las Lagunas.
• Address: Calle Buitre, 29651 Las Lagunas de Mijas.
• Competition starts: from 9:00 am.
• Players: 290.
• Scheduled matches: 866.
• Categories: 26.
• Courts: 17.
• Spectator admission: free.
• PRO finals: Sunday 13 September.

A weekend to discover pickleball in Mijas

The Costa del Sol Mijas Open arrives with two clear aims: to play an important role in the final stages of the Pickle Pro Tour season and to introduce more people to a sport that continues to grow rapidly.

Over three days, visitors will be able to watch everything from amateur matches to top-level competition, learn the basics of the game and even try pickleball themselves.

And all of it will take place in an unusual setting for a national tournament: right in the middle of the Gran Parque de Mijas, with free entry for spectators.

Full dates, participant information, categories and competition details can be found in the official information published by Mijas Town Hall