The International Padel Federation (FIP) has launched a biennial inter-continental competition which is set to be padel’s version of golf’s Ryder Cup or tennis’s Laver Cup.
The as-yet unnamed competition will see top and emerging padel players from the Americas compete against Europe in famous sporting venues, starting in 2025.
Following the record-breaking success of the 2024 FIP World Championships earlier this month, the new inter-continental cup will showcase the best global talent and provide new opportunities for players from emerging padel nations to join the elite level of the world’s fastest growing sport.
FIP claim that the new competition will signal padel’s readiness for inclusion in the Olympics, as the sport’s rapid democratisation and professionalisation aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s values and support for globally diverse and modern sports that help develop the pyramid.
The new format will be organised with the support of FIP’s new continental federations Padel Europe and Padel America.
A men’s and women’s competition will be run simultaneously – with a record-breaking prize purse of €700,000 and equal prize money distributed across the winning men’s and women’s teams.
Hosting will rotate between venues across the Americas and Europe, bringing padel to both established and emerging fan bases in incredible locations across the globe. Tenders for locations, branding, promoters and partnerships starts shortly.
Commenting on the new competition, FIP President Luigi Carraro, who was unanimously re-elected for a new Presidential mandate in October 2024, stated: “The new inter-continental cup competition responds to the incredible worldwide popularity of padel and an unprecedented demand for new competition formats from both established and emerging padel fanbases, players and partners.
“The overwhelming success of the FIP Padel World Championships 2024 and the Premier Padel professional tour demonstrate how padel has rapidly become a major international sport and innovations such as the new inter-continental competition are key to continually driving the development of padel – especially in new regions of the world.
“We cannot wait to realise this competition next year, and already know of enormous demand to host and partner in padel’s equivalent of the Laver and Ryder Cup, which will continue the globalisation of padel as we aspire to form part of the Olympic Movement as soon as possible.”
The new inter-continental competition is distinct from the Anglo-American Padel Cup, announced in September, that will see players from Great Britain and the USA do battle at New York’s Padel Haus from 9-11 May 2025, with London set to host the Cup in 2026. The Cup will feature elite players across Open, 40s, 50s and 60s categories for men and women.
