Premier Padel and FIP update 2026 calendar to boost competitive balance and support player priorities

• Pretoria and Kuwait tournaments upgraded to P1 and Major respectively.
• Upgrades to deliver additional ranking points and prizemoney for players in 2026.
• Steering Committees’ engagement on calendar update and 2026 strategy.
• Strong 2026 performance so far – record crowds across 6 events.

 

Premier Padel and the International Padel Federation (FIP) announce calendar adjustments for the 2026 season, following the postponement of the Ooredoo Qatar Major Premier Padel and in light of operational disruptions due to the war in Iran.

 

The updated Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour 2026 Calendar will see the following changes:

 

• Upgrade Pretoria P2 (27 July – 2 August) from P2 to P1.
• Upgrade Kuwait Premier Padel P1 (26 – 31 October) from P1 to Major.

Both tournaments will hold these categories exclusively for the 2026 season. These changes are intended to rebalance the calendar in terms of both prize money distribution and ranking points allocation, while reducing the overall impact on players and preserving the competitive integrity of the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour.

 

As communicated to the Premier Padel Steering Committees, comprised of 20 stakeholders across 11 stakeholder groups spanning the entire padel ecosystem, these changes have been developed in light of the conflict and its impact on operations around the world. Further discussions on implementation – particularly with regards to new opportunities and improvements for players, promoters and partners – will be held at the next meeting of the Steering Committees in Rome, in conjunction with the 2026 BNL Italy Major Premier Padel (June 1 – 7).

 

Alongside these operational adjustments, Premier Padel continues to demonstrate strong global momentum in 2026, with the Tour delivering record attendances across six events already this season – Riyadh Season P1, Gijón P2, Cancún P2, Miami P1, NEWGIZA P2 and Brussels P2 – underlining the sustained growth in fan engagement and the international expansion of the sport. In addition to recently announcing global partnerships with leading human performance technology brand WHOOP and Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet, Premier Padel has a strong pipeline of new commercial partnerships and strategic initiatives that will further strengthen the Tour’s long-term development.

 

 

David Sugden, CEO of Premier Padel, said:
“These tournament upgrades have been made with our players front of mind, ensuring more ranking points and prize money is available, whilst minimising the disruption of geopolitical events on the Tour. Despite the challenging context, our 2026 performance is strong: we’ve seen record crowds this season in Riyadh, Gijón, Cancún, Miami, New Giza and Brussels, have announced two major global partnerships – WHOOP and Audemars Piguet – and have exciting new strategic developments in the pipeline.”

 

Luigi Carraro, President of FIP, said:
“This calendar update reflects our continued commitment to safeguarding the interests of the players while ensuring the continued stability and global development of professional padel. These adjustments reflect a balanced and responsible approach that preserves ranking consistency and the long-term strength of the international calendar.”