The recent publication of the registration policy of the FIP This brings back to the forefront a central question for international padel: Do you have to pay to have the right to register for tournaments?

To participate in FIP Tour ou Premier PadelPlayers are required to subscribe to Padel Uno, the official registration platform. This allows the creating a player profile, access to rankings, to calendars, to tournament information and official statisticsA centralized tool, presented by the federation as essential to the proper functioning of the international circuit.

La annual price list is now clearly established: € 120 for Premier Padel, €80 for the Cupra FIP Tour, €150 for combined access, €40 for the FIP Promises, €25 for the FIP BeyondThese amounts are in addition to a reality already well known to players: national license, tournament registration fees, trips, an accommodation, sports coaching, all for one Prize money is often limited, in particular outside the world's top (who, by the way, should not pay this pricing structure…).

The question, therefore, is not so much whether a registration tool should exist. In fact, Padel doesn't invent anything.

In the professional tennisAny player wishing to compete on the international circuit must possess a IPIN (International Player Identification Number). Without this identifier, registration for ITF tournaments is not possible. The cost is approximately $90 per year for professionals...slightly less so for juniors. In addition to this, there are... fees per tournament, which vary depending on the level of the test. The principle is therefore strictly comparable: annual access to the systemand then the costs associated with each competition.

In other sports like badminton, basket, volley or RugbyDigital platforms also exist, but their cost is generally integrated into the federal licenseThe player pays, but without feeling like he is settling a debt. administrative entry fee distinct. The cost is shared, therefore less visible.

Padel today finds itself at the crossroads of these models. Yes, the FIP is following in the footsteps of already structured sports. by imposing a centralized, fee-based system. No, the problem doesn't lie solely in the existence of Padel UnoIt is located rather in the cumulative charges and in their disproportionate impact on players in the intermediate and development circuits.

Where tennis benefits from mature economic ecosystemPadel still requires a majority of players to absorb significant fixed costs for uncertain incomeIt is this reality that fuels the unease today, much more than the very principle of paying for software.

Tournament access: padel more expensive than tennis

Padel vs Tennis: Who pays for what?

Padel (FIP / Premier Padel)
• Mandatory platform access: €25 to €150 / year according to the circuit
• National license: varies depending on the country
• Tournament entry fees: yes
• Prize money: limited outside the world elite

Tennis (ITF)
• IPIN required: approximately $90/year (pros)
• National license: mandatory
• Tournament entry fees: yes
• Prize money: more structured, even at the bottom of the table

Padel is not no more expensive in principleBut he is in its overall economic reality, especially for players who are still developing.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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