FIP World League Padel: What We Know

The FIP World League is a new initiative from the International Padel Federation (FIP) that offers national teams outside the FIP World Cup further opportunities to compete internationally. At Wildcard Sport, we research from FIP's own announcements and link them.

FIP outlined the initiative at its 36th General Assembly in Madrid on 12 October 2026 and said further details will be announced in due course. FIP's announcement gives no format, start date, host or eligibility rules.

What Is the FIP World League

FIP President Luigi Carraro said the FIP World League will open more opportunities for national teams to compete. Padel Post reports that federations that do not play in the FIP World Cup have had few chances to field a national team internationally.

FIP's announcement of October 13, 2026 says FIP outlined the initiative; Padel Post, on October 14, 2026, says the assembly approved it.

What FIP Has Said So Far

Item	What Is Said	Source or Status
Purpose	Further opportunities to compete for teams outside the World Cup	Outlined by FIP at the 12 October 2026 General Assembly
Target Audience	National teams not taking part in the FIP World Cup	FIP says teams; Padel Post describes them as federations
Start Date	Not in FIP's announcement	Not in FIP's announcement
Format	Not in FIP's announcement	Not in FIP's announcement
Host Nation	Not in FIP's announcement	Not in FIP's announcement
Prize Money	Not in FIP's announcement	Neither FIP nor Padel Post gives one
Eligibility Rules	Not in FIP's announcement	Neither FIP nor Padel Post gives them
Number of Teams	Not in FIP's announcement	Not in FIP's announcement
Team Selection	Not in FIP's announcement	Not in FIP's announcement

How the FIP World Cup Works

The FIP World Cup is FIP's flagship biennial national-team event featuring 32 national teams, split evenly between 16 men's squads and 16 women's squads.

The FIP World Cup 2026 takes place in Doha, Qatar, at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. It runs from 2 to 7 November 2026, after an opening ceremony and the draws on 1 November. Participating teams compete for a total prize fund of €1.2 million, distributed equally between the men's and women's tournaments. Both brackets divide 16 teams into four groups of four.

Each country plays the other three nations in its group using ties played over a best-of-three match format. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals, with semi-finals on 6 November and the finals on 7 November. Teams finishing third and fourth in group play continue playing to determine positions ninth through 16th. In the previous edition held two years earlier, Argentina's men and Spain's women won the titles.

FIP announced on July 9, 2026, that Doha was awarded both the 2026 and 2028 editions of the World Cup. The 2028 tournament will feature a prize fund of €1.35 million. The qualified teams, match times and viewing options for the 2026 event are on the padel World Cup 2026 page.

Where FIP Announced the League

The assembly took place at the Spanish Olympic Committee in Madrid on 12 October 2026. The meeting marked the 35th anniversary of FIP, whose founding member federations are Spain, Argentina, and Uruguay, alongside Mexico, the birthplace of padel. You can explore how the discipline started in Acapulco in 1969 in the padel history guide.

During the assembly, FIP admitted 15 new national member federations:

Afghanistan
Angola
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belarus
Colombia
Libya
Mauritius
Namibia
Peru
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Uzbekistan
Zambia

These additions raised total FIP membership to 115 national federations. According to the World Padel Report 2026, the sport counts over 40 million active players across 191 countries.

What Else the Assembly Covered

The 36th FIP General Assembly addressed Olympic ambitions, governance structures, adaptive padel, and economic research. The agenda included the Board of Directors' annual and financial reports alongside proposed amendments to federation statutes and sporting regulations.

Delegates also reaffirmed support for federation leadership and the collective work on padel's Olympic ambitions. Padel previously featured at the 2023 European Games and the 2026 South American, Mediterranean, and Asian Games. Those appearances created opportunities for athletes to represent their countries and introduced the sport to new audiences.

Alejandro Blanco, who leads Spain's Olympic committee, also spoke at the assembly. Blanco said padel has a compelling case across participation, international reach, and societal impact, adding that he cannot imagine the Olympic movement's future without it. The FIP announcement does not state that padel is or will be an Olympic sport.

Adaptive padel represented another priority for delegates. FIP designated the discipline as a development focus to make the game more accessible and inclusive. The federation launched Para Padel as a strategic initiative to advance that work.

Delegates also received an advance preview of the World Padel Report 2026. The report includes, for the first time, an economic impact analysis. The full report was scheduled for release on Wednesday, October 14, and is covered in the World Padel Report 2026 summary.

What Is Still Unknown

FIP's announcement also gives no rankings or broadcast arrangements for the League. The General Assembly announcement is the only FIP source on the League we found. Treat any date or format you see elsewhere as unconfirmed unless it comes from FIP, and check the FIP website for updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FIP World League?

The FIP World League is a new initiative outlined by the International Padel Federation (FIP) at its 36th General Assembly on 12 October 2026. FIP says it offers national teams not participating in the FIP World Cup further opportunities to compete internationally.

Who can play in the FIP World League?

The initiative is aimed at national teams not participating in the FIP World Cup. FIP's announcement gives no player eligibility criteria or federation selection rules.

When does the FIP World League start?

FIP's announcement gives no start date. FIP stated that further details will be announced in due course, and we found no launch year or schedule.

Is the FIP World League the same as the FIP World Cup?

No. FIP describes the World League as an initiative for teams that are not in the World Cup. The World Cup is FIP's flagship event, with 32 national teams playing in Doha, Qatar, from 2 to 7 November 2026.

How many teams play the FIP World Cup?

The tournament features 32 national teams, split into 16 men's teams and 16 women's teams. Each competition divides into four groups of four, where every team plays the other three in its pool in best-of-three ties. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals, while the others play on for ninth to 16th place.

Where will the 2028 FIP World Cup be held?

FIP will hold the 2028 World Cup in Doha, Qatar, at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. The tournament serves as FIP's flagship biennial event and offers a €1.35 million prize fund. We have not found published dates for the 2028 edition.