PADEL RULES
Premier Padel 2026 — Season Guide, Calendar, Rankings & Top Players
8 min read
The World’s Premier Padel Circuit in 2026
Premier Padel is the highest level of professional padel competition on the planet. Founded in 2022 as a joint venture between the International Padel Federation (FIP) and Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the circuit replaced the World Padel Tour as the sport’s flagship tour and has since transformed professional padel — bringing higher prize money, better broadcast coverage, and a truly global calendar.
The 2026 season is the most ambitious in Premier Padel’s history. Eight Majors are scheduled across four continents, including the landmark Chicago Major — the first Premier Padel Major ever held in the United States. From Doha to Roland Garros to Buenos Aires, 2026 gives players more ways to earn points, and fans more world-class padel to watch.
For a deep dive into the circuit’s structure and origins, see our full Premier Padel circuit explainer.
2026 Premier Padel Calendar
Majors
The Major is the highest-tier event in professional padel, offering maximum ranking points and the biggest prize pools. Eight Majors are scheduled in 2026:
| Major | City | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar Major | Doha, Qatar | April 6–11 (postponed — check premierpadel.com) |
| Italy Major | Rome, Italy | June 1–7 |
| Amsterdam Major | Amsterdam, Netherlands | July 20–26 |
| Paris Major | Roland Garros, Paris, France | September 7–13 |
| Buenos Aires Major | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Late September (TBC) |
| Chicago Major | Chicago, USA | October (TBC) |
| Dubai Major | Dubai, UAE | Late November/Early December (TBC) |
| Premier Padel Finals | Málaga, Spain | December (TBC) |
Selected P1 & P2 Events
P1 and P2 events form the backbone of the season, running throughout the year between Majors:
| Event | City | Dates | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Premier Padel | Miami, USA | March 23–29 | P1 |
| Madrid Premier Padel | Madrid, Spain | August 31 – September 6 | P1 |
Full calendar available at premierpadel.com
How the Premier Padel Ranking Points System Works
Premier Padel uses a tiered points structure that mirrors the ATP/WTA model in tennis. The key principles:
Points by Event Tier
| Round | Major | P1 | P2 | Challenger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 |
| Finalist | 1,200 | 600 | 300 | 150 |
| Semifinal | 720 | 360 | 180 | 90 |
| Quarterfinal | 360 | 180 | 90 | 45 |
| Round of 16 | 180 | 90 | 45 | — |
| Round of 32 | 90 | 45 | — | — |
Points are approximate based on the circuit’s tiered structure. Always check premierpadel.com for the official, current points table.
Key Rules
- Both players in a pair earn points equally — no individual vs. team split
- Rolling 52-week window — points from events in the same calendar window expire after one year, rewarding recent form over historical results
- Points determine direct entry — the higher a pair is ranked, the more events they access via direct entry rather than qualifying draws
- Challenger events provide the pathway for developing players to climb into the main circuit
Ranking Seasons and Cut-off Dates
Rankings are updated after every event throughout the season. The cut-off for year-end Finals qualification is set before the Finals in Málaga, locking in the top 8 men’s and top 8 women’s pairs who will compete at the season-ending championship.
Premier Padel Rankings and the FIP World Rankings
Premier Padel is not just a private commercial circuit — it is the official top-level tour of the International Padel Federation (FIP). This has a critical implication for the rankings system:
Points earned on the Premier Padel circuit feed directly into the FIP world rankings.
The FIP world rankings are the official measure of a player’s global standing. They determine:
- Seedings at the World Padel Championship (the sport’s top national-team competition)
- Country qualification slots for major international events
- Official ranking used in all FIP communications and governance
For players, this means every Premier Padel result has dual significance: it shapes their position in the professional circuit standings and their standing in the global FIP rankings.
There is no separate “FIP ranking” to chase — the Premier Padel circuit IS the path to the top of the FIP world rankings. For the current standings, visit our padel world rankings page.
2026 Season Highlights
The Chicago Major — History in the Making
The Chicago Major in October 2026 is the landmark event of the season: the first Premier Padel Major ever staged in the United States. The US is one of the fastest-growing padel markets in the world, and Chicago’s hosting of a Major marks padel’s arrival as a mainstream sport in North America.
Amsterdam — First Major in Northern Europe
The Amsterdam Major (July 20–26) makes history as Premier Padel’s first Major in the Netherlands and Northern Europe. The Dutch padel scene has exploded in recent years, and Amsterdam’s RAI Convention Centre provides world-class infrastructure for the event.
Roland Garros — The Most Prestigious Setting
The Paris Major at Roland Garros (September 7–13) remains the most iconic venue on the calendar. Playing padel at the home of the French Open gives the event a prestige unmatched by any other tournament on the circuit.
The Madrid–Paris Double
The back-to-back pairing of Madrid P1 (Aug 31–Sep 6) and the Paris Major (Sep 7–13) creates the most intense stretch of the season. Players who perform well across this fortnight can dramatically reshape the end-of-year standings.
Top Players to Watch in 2026
Men’s Pairs
Arturo Coello & Agustín Tapia The world number one pairing entering 2026. Coello’s powerful left-side game combined with Tapia’s extraordinary creativity and improvisation has made them the dominant force in men’s padel. They arrive as the pair to beat at every Major.
Ale Galán & Juan Lebrón One of padel’s iconic pairings. Galán’s strategic intelligence and Lebrón’s explosive athleticism make them dangerous on any surface, in any conditions. Multiple Major titles between them — they will not cede their status without a fight.
Franco Stupaczuk & Martín Di Nenno An aggressive, physically imposing pair capable of overpowering anyone on their day. Stupaczuk and Di Nenno thrive in tight matches and are often the biggest threat to the top two pairings at Majors.
Women’s Pairs
Ariana Sánchez & Paula Josemaría Combining defensive solidity with explosive attacking play, Sánchez and Josemaría are the most complete women’s pairing on the circuit. Josemaría’s court coverage and Sánchez’s competitive intensity make them the benchmark in women’s padel.
Gemma Triay & Alejandra Salazar Experience and consistency define this pairing. Triay’s tactical intelligence and Salazar’s powerful baseline game have produced some of women’s padel’s most memorable Major performances. They remain strong contenders at every event.
Marta Ortega & Beatriz González A dynamic, fast-improving pairing with the athleticism and skill to challenge at the highest level. Ortega in particular has developed into one of the most exciting women’s players on the circuit.
How to Watch Premier Padel 2026
- Red Bull TV — live coverage of all events from the quarter-finals onwards, available globally
- Premier Padel YouTube — highlights, interviews, and selected match coverage
- Regional broadcasters — Sky Sport (Italy), Ziggo Sport (Netherlands), Movistar+ (Spain), ESPN (Latin America) and others carry event coverage in their markets
- premierpadel.com — official live scores, schedule, and streaming links
How to Follow the Rankings
The official Premier Padel rankings are updated after every event at premierpadel.com. For a regularly updated summary of the world’s top 20 men’s and women’s players, see our padel world rankings page.
Understanding the ranking system is essential for following the season narrative — watching which pairs are surging, which are dropping, and who is in the hunt for the Premier Padel Finals in Málaga.
Individual Major Guides
For detailed information on each 2026 Major — including venue, tickets, how to watch, and prize money — see our dedicated guides:
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