On the occasion of the last  P2000  organized in its current format, at  WinWin Padel Cabriès Laurent Aznar, president of the FFT's Federal Padel Commission, gave a lengthy interview to  Padel Magazine Reform of national competitions, arrival of  P3000 circuit development  FIP  In France, prize money increases, support for clubs and the evolution of the National Training Centre: the leader details the major directions that will mark the 2027 season.

"The P2000 as we know it today is now a thing of the past."

 Padel Magazine :  We are in Cabriès for the last P2000 race organized in this format. An era is coming to an end…

 Laurent Aznar:  Yes, indeed. This competition marks the end of an era. Starting next season, our national organization will evolve with the creation of  four P3000s  which will become the major events on the French calendar.

In parallel, we will retain  eight P2000s but it will actually be the competitions that correspond today to the old P1500, men and women.

This reform pursues several objectives. The first is obviously sporting: we want the best French players to regain the desire to participate in major national competitions. To achieve this, it was necessary to make these events more attractive, both in terms of points awarded and financially.

The timetable for this new organization is already known.

"The prize money needed to change."

 Why had this revaluation become essential? 

Because we listened to the players.

Today, participating in a national competition represents a significant cost: travel, accommodation, preparation… Many explained to us that it was becoming difficult to reconcile the French circuit with their international schedule.

We therefore wanted to increase the financial allocations.

The goal is to restore the appeal of these competitions. Winners of a P3000 will now receive prize money of  1 500 euros , an amount which is starting to be comparable to that of certain international events, particularly FIP Silver events.

We know that money is not the only criterion for choice, but it matters, and it was important to meet the players' expectations.

"The absence of certain players in Cabriès is inevitably a disappointment."

 However, this final stage suffered from numerous absences among the best French pairs. 

Yes, of course, it's a bit of a disappointment.

When organizing the biggest national competitions, one obviously wants to have the best French players there.

Now, we also need to take the context into account.

It's July. There was the French team's training camp, the European Youth Championships, several FIP tournaments abroad… Many players already had commitments.

It is precisely to address this issue that we conceived the reform of the P3000.

"We want to build a true French circuit"

The goal is not just to create four major national events.

We are considering a much more global organization.

In 2027, France will host  16 FIP senior tournaments .

This is an important step.

Our aim now is to offer a genuine competition pathway allowing players to stay in France for several weeks.

We imagine, for example, that a player could participate in a P3000, then immediately follow up with a FIP Bronze or a FIP Silver organized nearby.

This type of schedule will allow both foreign and French players to optimize their travel while competing in several high-level competitions.

"There will never be competition between a P3000 and a French FIP."

 Does this mean that there will never be two major events held simultaneously? 

Exactly.

This is an essential condition.

We don't want to put our own competitions in competition with each other.

When a P3000 is organized in France, there will not be, at the same time, a French FIP tournament likely to divide the field.

On the contrary, we want to build a calendar logic where events complement each other.

This continuity will benefit both the players and the organizers.

“Sixteen FIPs constitute a first step”

 How did you determine the number of sixteen international tournaments? 

This is the result of a joint effort.

The Federation has approved a budget to support sixteen international tournaments.

Next, these projects are submitted to the International Federation of Padel.

We consider this 2027 season as a first step.

We will then see how to continue this increase in power in the following years.

The objective remains the same: to allow the best French players to compete in more international competitions without having to systematically leave the country.

"The FIP Promises will also continue their development."

 Are these sixteen tournaments only for seniors? 

Yes.

For young people, we are also continuing the development of  FIP Promises .

The schedule is not yet completely finalized, but it should include three or four stages.

Here again, the idea is to increase competitive opportunities for young French players.

"The FFT provides financial support to the organizing clubs."

 What role exactly does the Federation play with clubs that wish to organize a FIP? 

There is genuine support available.

Each tournament category — Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum — benefits from a financial aid scheme defined by a scale.

Beyond this economic aspect, the Federation also supports organizers on technical, sporting and regulatory aspects, notably through the work of referees.

Our ambition is to create the best possible conditions to host these international competitions.

The more quality events clubs offer, the more players will want to stay and play in France.

"Clubs that invest more will naturally be valued more highly."

We also ask the clubs to participate in this effort.

Regarding the new P2000s in particular, a minimum prize money will be imposed.

But organizers who wish to go further will obviously be able to do so.

When it comes to selecting the host clubs for major competitions, the quality of the infrastructure, the hospitality offered, but also the efforts made on the prize money will naturally be among the criteria studied.

We know that travel represents a significant cost for players.

Anything that improves their experience will be a positive element.

"The National Training Centre continues to grow."

 French elite sports are also continuing their development. 

Yes.

The National Training Centre will continue to evolve.

The next graduating class will count  16 players , with three additional boys and one additional girl compared to the current roster.

We will also strengthen the sports management team with the arrival of a new coach.

His identity will be announced by sports officials when the time is right.

For my part, it is not up to me to communicate on this subject, but I can confirm that this development is part of the CNE's growth.

"We want to continue to develop elite French football."

All these developments ultimately serve the same purpose.

Create more high-quality competitions.

To offer more opportunities to French players.

Also, attract more foreign players to our territory.

And to allow our elite to progress without being forced to constantly move abroad.

It is this overall logic that guides the reform of the federal calendar today.

 Coming up next: in the second part of this interview, Laurent Aznar goes into detail about the abuses observed in recent months in French competitions, the phantom pairs, the strategic withdrawals, the arrival of MOJA and the measures that the FFT wants to put in place to better regulate the development of French padel. 

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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