35th FIP General Assembly Concludes in Acapulco: 14 New National Federations Join as FIP Reaches 100 Members, Confirming Padel’s Global Momentum

• Fourteen new national federations join the International Padel Federation (FIP), bringing total membership to 100.
• Launch of FIP Beyond, the new World Amateur Padel Tour open to all ages, genders, and nationalities.
• Regulatory updates to the World Championship for National Teams (Junior and Absolute categories).
• Enhancements to the Rules of Padel to make the sport more dynamic and engaging.
• Preview of the World Padel Report 2025, showing global participation rising to over 35 million players, up 5 million year-on-year.

The 35th General Assembly of the International Padel Federation (FIP) took place in Acapulco, Mexico, gathering presidents and official delegates from member national federations.

FIP President Luigi Carraro opened the session by welcoming Jimena Saldaña, Secretary General of Panam Sports—the continental organization representing the National Olympic Committees of the Americas—who attended the entire Assembly and commended the work of FIP and its National Federations. Carraro also expressed his sincere gratitude to Jorge Mañe, President of the Mexican Padel Federation and Padel America, for hosting the event during the Mexico Major Premier Padel.

One of the main highlights of the meeting was the announcement of the affiliation of 14 new National Federations: Bolivia, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Latvia, Malaysia, Panama, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Serbia, Chinese Taipei, and Yemen.

With these additions, FIP now reaches a historic milestone of 100 affiliated national federations, further solidifying Padel’s rapid global expansion.

Carraro presented a detailed review of the year’s activities, highlighting an exceptionally intensive sporting calendar that—across Premier Padel, the CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises, and international national-team competitions—delivered more than 550 tournaments in men’s, women’s, and team divisions only in 2025.

The President also emphasised the collective efforts of FIP, Premier Padel, national federations, industry leaders, promoters, and sponsors, noting that this shared commitment has driven unprecedented development in every area of the sport.

Olympic Pathway

Carraro outlined Padel’s continued progress on its Olympic journey, confirming that in 2025 the sport will feature in four IOC-recognised and sanctioned events:

• Asian Beach Games – Sanya, China
• FISU World University Padel Championships – Málaga, Spain
• Mediterranean Games – Taranto, Italy
• Asian Games – Aichi Prefecture–Nagoya, Japan

Further announcements are expected soon.

He also reaffirmed that FIP has delegated its full Anti-Doping programme to the International Testing Agency (ITA), ensuring the highest international standards in integrity and compliance.

Tournaments and Global Growth

The Premier Padel tour will stage 24 tournaments this season, including the Acapulco Major currently underway and the Barcelona Finals to follow.

The CUPRA FIP Tour continues to expand, with 307 tournaments—a 78% increase compared to 2024—across more than 50 host countries and involving over 5,000 athletes in the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories.

The revamped FIP World Cup Pairs, held recently in Kuwait, was highlighted as a major success, offering 2,000 ranking points and prize money, and rapidly becoming one of the sport’s most anticipated annual events.

New Projects

FIP Beyond – The World Amateur Padel Tour

FIP officially unveiled FIP Beyond, a new global amateur circuit designed for players of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
This unified pathway aims to promote participation, excellence, and a sense of belonging, reflecting FIP’s commitment to an inclusive, community-driven global Padel ecosystem—from grassroots development to supporting youth, amateurs, former professionals, and the legends of the sport.

FIP Promises – New Youth Structure

The FIP Promises youth circuit recorded 175 tournaments in the past year, a 120% increase. Starting in 2026, Promises will adopt a new structure featuring four continental tours (Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa), each with its own calendar and ranking system, and will introduce a global Under-18 FIP Promises World Tour in 2027.

FIP Academy

Carraro also highlighted the strategic role of the FIP Academy, the education platform for coaches and referees. The Academy supports national federations and the entire Padel community in building robust internal structures and advancing the professionalisation of the sport worldwide.

Sport Improvements

Regulations

Updated regulations for both the FIP World Padel Cup and the FIP Junior World Padel Cup were presented, introducing technical and structural adjustments to ensure broader and more balanced participation.

Padel Rules

FIP also announced updates to the Rules of Padel, aimed at increasing the sport’s dynamism and enhancing the player and spectator experience.

World Padel Report 2025

President Carraro provided a preview of the upcoming World Padel Report 2025, developed by FIP’s Research & Data Analysis Department and soon available on Padelfip.com.

The report confirms powerful global growth trends, noting significant increases in the number of clubs and courts around the world.
There are now more than 35 million Padel players worldwide, a jump of more than 5 million compared to 2024.

This year’s edition acts as a comprehensive global atlas of Padel, offering detailed insights into FIP-member nations and broader development indicators—further underscoring the sport’s extraordinary international expansion.

Closing Remarks from President Carraro

“This General Assembly shows how we are growing and improving year after year—and how our growth remains sustainable. Starting from the base of the pyramid, at the grassroots level, and working side by side with our National Federations, our movement is evolving in a controlled and structured way, ensuring the top of the pyramid—professional Padel—can develop at the highest standards.

“Since 2019, the number of national federations within FIP has more than tripled. With today’s new Member Federations, we have reached 100 members. And we will not stop here: Padel is played in more than 170 countries, across three quarters of the world’s population, and we want our community to keep expanding.

“I thank each and every one of our Members for their continuous work and support. We should be proud of what we have achieved so far, but also look ahead with the ambition to continue improving – because united we are stronger.”