The Euro Padel League’s debut season reaches its climax on 4-7 July in London – and founder Chris Warren has already revealed some spectacular plans for season two.
In its first season, the Euro Padel League (EPL) has brought together players from five of Europe’s top padel clubs, with each taking its turn to host a leg of the series. An overall winner, who will receive the EPL Cup, is set to be crowned at next week’s climax at Rocks Lane in Chiswick.
Season one, which began in January in Marbella, features an over-40s men’s competition with three pairs in each team (each must have a combined age of 100+, 105+ and 110+). Dubbed ‘the Champions League of Padel’, the EPL’s debut has been a stunning success – but its plans for 2024-25 are set to catapult the concept to a whole new level.
Season two will see the EPL boast an expanded roster of teams representing Milan, Marbella, Vilamoura, Stockholm, London, the South of France, Belfast, Zagreb, Roma, Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
The first location of the new campaign will be Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s spectacular Padel Zenter in Milan. Created by the humble former Manchester United striker and Swedish padel trailblazer Thomas Sandstrom, the venue will be the first of six European and three international hosts between September 2024 through to the finale in London in July 2025.
The EPL is also expanding to include a women’s circuit and an EFL Academy for junior players. A partnership with the UK’s iPadel League, run by Ian Colligon, means that the annual winners of that tournament can qualify to represent London in the EFL. “Teams can potentially do the same as Nottingham Forest did in the late 1970s – win the league then win the European Cup the following season!” said Chris, a keen Leeds United fan.
But the EPL is no elitist jamboree. Aligning with Chris’s personal principles and the inclusive values of Rocks Lane (which offers free sports for all state schools), the upcoming season finale at the club will feature free junior academy sessions, led by the club’s coach Alex Grilo.
The EPL Sprint Pro Am Cup will see big names from the corporate and sporting worlds partner up on court, while the EPL Corporate Cup will see business bigwigs compete alongside pros, with all fees going towards funding Rocks Lane’s EPL Rising Stars Scholarship Programme to train the next generation of players.
It’s a monumental project, but one that Chris and the Rocks Lane team are used to, having been one of the UK’s earliest adopters of padel and hosted FIP international, LTA national, major corporate and Pro Am events over the past 30 years. They also have three other padel clubs in London and Cornwall and a national roll out on the way.
Chris, who turned 60 earlier this month, plays on the London Rocks team and has represented GB in the over-45, 50 and 55 age groups in two World Championships and one European Championships.
He says he barely has time to reflect on the success of both Rocks Lane or the EPL. “You do get a buzz from it, but they are such busy social occasions you don’t get the chance to sit back and appreciate what you’ve built.
“Our team have such vast experience, starting with our Friday Night 5s football and netball sessions which have been running for 25 years and have encompassed over 50,000 players. We demonstrate that building relationships with our players and connecting with the community are the most important things in achieving success.”
