For nearly a decade, professional padel worldwide has been structured around the World Padel Tour, before gradually coming under the aegis of Premier Padel, a circuit that is now unique and renowned. At the heart of this transition, the International Federation of Padel (FIP) played a key role, moving from an official partnership with the World Padel Tour to the co-organization of a competing circuit, supported by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI)A chronological look back at a major development for the professional padel ecosystem.

The initial role of the World Padel Tour in the structuring of professional padel (2013–2018)

Created in 2013, the World Padel Tour quickly established itself as the professional benchmark circuit at the international level. Organized by Setpoint Events (Damm Group), it structures a stable calendar, professionalizes the image of padel, and brings together the world elite. During this period, the International Federation of Padel retains an essentially institutional role, focused on the global development of sport, recognition by national federations and the organization of international team competitions.

The FIP agreement – World Padel Tour and the unification of the world rankings (2019)

In 2019, a strategic agreement was concluded between the FIP and the World Padel TourThis agreement notably provides forunification of the world rankings, the points earned on the circuit World Padel Tour being integrated into FIP rankingFor the first time, professional padel has a unique international rankingrecognized by both the dominant professional circuit and the international governing body. At that time, the FIP recognized the World Padel Tour as a central pillar of global sports structuring.

The breach and the complaint for anti-competitive practices (2022)

The beginning of 2022 marks a major turning point. The FIP, jointly with the Professional Padel Association, files a official complaint to the European Commission against the World Padel TourThe complaint primarily targets the exclusivity contracts imposed on playersrestrictions on participation in other competitions and a possible abuse of dominant position in the professional padel competition market.

According to the plaintiffs, these practices limit the economic freedom of players and hinder the emergence of alternative circuits. For its part, the World Padel Tour disputes these accusations and in turn files legal proceduresThe FIP maintains that its contracts fall under a standard commercial relationship between a private circuit and its athletes. Behind the scenes, some players, actors, and the WPT itself are surprised to see the FIP switch sides so quickly. But that's another story.

The creation of a new circuit supported by Qatar Sports Investments (2022)

In parallel with this procedure, the FIP announces the creation of a new professional circuit, initially called the FIP QSI Tour, financially supported by Qatar Sports InvestmentsThis project quickly became known as Premier Padel.

This new circuit is based on a hierarchical structure (Majors, P1, then P2), with prize money superiors to those historically proposed on the World Padel Tour and a promise of increased international exposure. The FIP then assumes a dual role: regulatory body of world padel and co-organizer of a professional circuit (or more precisely, she will be in charge of the FIP Tour and QSI of Premier Padel).

Two competing circuits and a fragmentation of professional padel (2022–2023)

Between 2022 and 2023, professional padel experienced an unprecedented period of competition between two very high-level circuits. The World Padel Tour retains some of its historical tournaments, while Premier Padel relies on the support of the FIP, QSI and a majority of elite world players.

This situation creates sporting, legal and economic instability, with ongoing legal proceedings and sometimes blurred visibility for players, promoters and national federations.

The acquisition of World Padel Tour and the birth of a single circuit (2023–2024)

In August 2023, a comprehensive agreement was announced: QSI acquires the World Padel TourThis operation puts an end to direct competition between circuits. The stated objective is the creation of a unified professional circuit, placed under the banner Premier Padel and under the FIP governance.

Starting with the 2024 season, the World Padel Tour ceases to exist as an independent brand. Some of the former tournaments are being gradually integrated into the calendar. Premier Padel, and the The FIP ranking becomes the sole global reference for professional padel. (Note that we are deliberately not talking about A1)Padel, the Fabrice Pastor circuit, which no longer exists at the moment).

The current situation and governance challenges (2024–2025)

Today, Premier Padel constitutes the top of professional padelwith an extensive international calendar, strong media exposure, and a clear hierarchy of competitions. The FIP centralizes both the sports regulations, the world ranking and the supervision of the elite circuit.

This centralization, however, gives rise to recurring debates surrounding the governance, the role of players in strategic decisions and the balance between institutional, economic and sporting interests. While the fragmentation phase of the circuits is now over, discussions are focusing more on the regulatory stability, the readability of the points system and the representation of the different stakeholders in world 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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