English Open Pickleball 2026: Third Shot's First Trade Stand at the World's Biggest Indoor Tournament

Twelve months ago, we walked into the English OPEN as visitors. The brand was one week old. We wore our own gear because nobody else could yet, watched the sport we'd built Third Shot around, and told ourselves that next year we'd be on the other side of the table.

Last week we were. From 11–16 August, Third Shot exhibited at the English Open Pickleball 2026 at the NEC Birmingham — our first ever trade stand, at the biggest indoor pickleball event ever staged anywhere in the world.

The Biggest English OPEN Yet

The 2026 edition was a step change for the tournament and for the sport in the UK. Pickleball England took over three interconnected halls at the NEC — the UK's largest exhibition venue — and built a 60-court arena from the ground up. More than 3,400 players from around the world competed across six days, making it the largest indoor pickleball tournament on the planet and the biggest outside the USA.

Powered by the APP Tour, the pro draws brought some of the best players in the world to Birmingham. If you'd told us in 2025, standing courtside in week-one logo tees, that we'd have a stand in the middle of all that a year later — we'd have taken it.

Six Days on the Stand

Honestly? The response floored us.

We came to the NEC with a simple goal: put Third Shot in front of the people who live this sport. What we got was six days of non-stop conversations — players trying on courtwear between matches, club organisers asking about kit for their teams, and a steady stream of people who'd seen the brand online meeting it in person for the first time.

A few things stood out:

• Court-to-street resonates. The most common comment on the stand: "I'd actually wear this off court." That's the whole brand in one sentence.
• The women's game is exploding. Demand for women's courtwear outpaced everything we projected — and it's shaped what's coming next from us.
• UK pickleball has arrived. The scale, the standard of play, the atmosphere across 60 courts — this is no longer a niche sport waiting to happen. It's happened.

Josh Roberts Flying the Flag

Our sponsored athlete Josh Roberts was competing across the week, which meant Third Shot was on court as well as in the vendor village. Watching Josh battle through draws at an event this size, wearing the brand, is exactly why we back athletes — and having him drop by the stand between matches was a highlight of the week.

From Visitors to Vendors in One Year

The story we kept telling on the stand is the one that matters most to us. At the 2025 English OPEN, Third Shot was seven days old. No stand, no stockists, no athletes — just an idea about what padel and pickleball apparel could look like, and two logo tees fresh out of the box.

One year later: a trade stand at the world's biggest indoor pickleball tournament, sponsored athletes competing on court, and stockists across the country.

We're a Yorkshire brand built on the belief that court sport deserves better-looking kit. The English OPEN 2026 was the clearest sign yet that plenty of you agree.

What's Next

The OPEN gave us a mountain of feedback, a notebook full of ideas, and real momentum heading into autumn. Expect more women's courtwear, new drops through the back end of 2026, and — now we've had a taste of it — more of us in person at events as the calendar builds into 2027.

To everyone who stopped by the stand, tried something on, shared your story or just said hello: thank you. See you at the next one.

FAQ

What is the English Open Pickleball tournament? The English OPEN is the UK's flagship pickleball tournament, run by Pickleball England. The 2026 edition at the NEC Birmingham featured 60 courts across three halls and over 3,400 players, making it the largest indoor pickleball event in the world.

Where was the English Open Pickleball 2026 held? At the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) in Birmingham, from 11–16 August 2026 — the first year the tournament was staged at the UK's largest exhibition venue.

Was Third Shot at the English Open 2026? Yes — Third Shot exhibited in the vendor village with our first ever trade stand, and our sponsored athlete Josh Roberts competed during the week.

Where can I buy Third Shot pickleball clothing? Online at thirdshot.uk, with free UK shipping over £75, or at our stockists across the UK — see our Where To Find Us page.