Premier Padel heading to London!
London has been the centre of the padel world’s attention this week, with not one but two global announcements made in the capital. The Bandeja reports.
It’s the news UK padel fans have been waiting for – the Qatar Airways Premier Padel tour is heading to London.
In what is being described as a ‘pivotal moment’ for professional padel’s international expansion, the capital will host the London P1 from August 3-9th, 2026, welcoming the world’s elite male and female players to compete in what Premier Padel described as ‘one of the world’s most iconic sporting cities’ for the first time. P1 tournaments sit just below Premier Padel’s highest level of competition, the Majors.
It’s a major coup for padel here and recognises just how much the sport has captured the heart and soul of UK players. The venue has yet to be announced but it’s likely to be Olympia in Kensington, west London, which hosts the seven day padel extravaganza. And, thanks to a multi-year partnership between Premier Padel and entertainment/hospitality company Sela (which sponsors Newcastle United FC), it’s likely the London P1 is here for a while.
Stewart Hosford, CEO, Sela International, said: “Bringing a Premier Padel P1 tournament to London is a major statement of intent for Sela and Premier Padel. We want to create incredible experiences across sport and entertainment, and this event will set a new benchmark for padel in the UK. Our long-term commitment, combined with the recent transformation of Olympia and the support of the LTA, gives us a unique opportunity to build something exceptional for fans, athletes and the wider sporting community.”
Scott Lloyd, CEO, LTA, said: “We’re pleased to support Sela and Premier Padel in bringing this landmark event to London. Padel is growing rapidly across Britain, and bringing an elite level event to this country will help strengthen the sport from grassroots participation to professional players. By providing a showcase of the highest level of the sport, we hope this tournament will inspire even more people to try padel for the first time.”
The news came with the announcement of the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour calendar for 2026. Pretoria, South Africa, is another addition to the tour, which consists of 26 tournaments across 18 countries.
David Sugden, CEO of Premier Padel, said: “The 2026 calendar is a fantastic moment for professional padel, with the tour entering three new cities [Valencia is the third] and reaching a bigger audience than ever before. It not only reflects our long-term vision to expand padel’s global reach but, with our first year in the UK and our second in the US, it also demonstrates how Premier Padel has driven padel into the world’s most competitive sports markets. We are confident 2026 will be the best season the sport has ever seen, with innovation in the scoring system, more indoor tournaments, new entertainment concepts and an ever greater focus on the fan experience, all contributing to a fantastic year ahead for players, fans and all our partners.”
Star points
And there’s a scoring change on the way too, with the introduction of ‘star points’ designed to maintain the excitement of close games and offer players respite from overly long matches. Replacing the scoring protocol of playing advantage at deuce (40-40) until one team scores two clear points, the star points system will see a maximum of two advantage points played. If the score remains tied, the game goes to a decider golden point.
“This system limits the maximum number of points that can be played in a game, avoiding prolonged advantage situations. The innovation balances the essence of the game with its evolution, improving player welfare and enhancing fans engagement,” said the International Padel Federation (FIP), which has agreed the move in conjunction with players, broadcasters, commercial partners and Premier Padel.
Also under discussion is Premier Padel tournament draw size, a matter which FIP said was raised by ‘several stakeholders’ during consultation on the new star point system. An update is expected in January.
Hexagon World Series
London was also the location of choice for the Hexagon Cup to announce the Hexagon World Series, extending the cup’s team-based format into a first-of-its-kind global circuit backed by 54, the sport and entertainment agency behind LIV Golf, and the sport’s global governing body, the International Padel Federation (FIP).
In describing the news as an ‘historic strategic alliance’, a spokesman for the Hexagon World Series said: “Under this agreement, 54 will invest and partner with Hexagon Cup to expand and elevate the initial project into its next phase: a new global team circuit officially named the Hexagon World Series, in what will become the first team padel series to be delivered under the governance of FIP, fully integrated into the federative padel pyramid.
“The Hexagon World Series will….add multiple events per year across new international locations. This expansion will open fresh commercial opportunities for fans, players and partners, while strengthening the overall FIP ecosystem and the Olympic dream alongside existing tours and FIP’s governance.
“The new circuit will complement Premier Padel, FIP’s flagship professional tour for individual pairs, elevating padel to a new level.
“Together, Premier Padel and the Hexagon World Series will form the global professional circuit for elite players: one tour for the world’s top pairs, and one groundbreaking team-based competition, both under the governance of FIP,” added the spokesman.
Enrique Buenaventura, Founder of the Hexagon Cup, said: “This partnership marks a new chapter in the history of padel. Together with 54, FIP and the support of, and fantastic relationship with, Premier Padel, we will build the first truly global team circuit, creating something never seen before in our sport. Our mission is to help grow padel worldwide, unlock new commercial opportunities, and contribute decisively to its Olympic journey.”
Luigi Carraro, President of FIP, said: “The launch of thevHexagon World Series – under the umbrella and governance of FIP and as part of our official international calendar, already including the Cupra FIP Tour and Premier Padel – further enhances, consolidates and stabilises our ecosystem with the most prestigious competitions in the sport. Together, we will ensure padel continues to grow with the professionalism, global visibility and collaborative structure … driving padel’s long-term success on an international scale.”
More information about the stops for the Hexagon World Series is expected in the new year. 🎾
