Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and at the heart of this boom is Premier Padel, the sport's top professional circuit. What began as a niche racket sport in Spain and Latin America has exploded into a global sensation, drawing packed arenas, elite athletes, and major sponsors into the mix.
Whether you’re new to the sport or just curious, this guide breaks down everything you need to know, from how the tour is structured to the rankings, to who the top players are, and what makes the tournament formats stand out. Let’s get into it.
1. What is Premier Padel?
Premier Padel is the leading official professional padel tour in the world, founded by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in collaboration with the International Padel Federation (FIP), the global governing body of the sport, and the Professional Padel Association (PPA), which represents the players themselves.
Launched in 2022, Premier Padel was built to showcase the highest level of padel talent and unify the sport’s fragmented professional scene. It quickly positioned itself as the top-tier tour by offering bigger prize pools, more ranking points, and a global calendar of events.
A major milestone came in August 2023, when QSI announced the acquisition of the rival World Padel Tour (WPT). This merger created a single, unified professional circuit under the Premier Padel banner, now fully sanctioned and governed by the FIP. The move brought much-needed structure and legitimacy to the sport at the elite level.
In just a few seasons, Premier Padel has become the face of modern padel, giving male and female players a global platform, reaching new markets, and pushing the sport into an exciting new era.
2. Structure of the Tour
Premier Padel is built around a tiered tournament system designed to showcase the best talent in the world while expanding the sport’s global reach. The tour features multiple event categories, each offering different levels of ranking points, prize money, and prestige.
1. P1 and P2 Tournaments
The Premier Padel calendar revolves around three main categories of events, and the P1 and P2 tournaments form the backbone of the action.
Premier Padel P1 (10 events)
The P1 tournaments are the second-highest tier of events on the Premier Padel circuit, sitting just below the Majors in terms of prestige. With 10 P1 events scattered across the season, these tournaments offer substantial ranking points and prize money, making them highly competitive. Players aim to excel in P1 events as they offer a significant opportunity to improve their standings in the global rankings, especially as they try to qualify for the Tour Finals.
Premier Padel P2 (9 events)
Sitting just below the P1 category are the P2 tournaments. While they may not offer the same level of prize money or ranking points as P1 events, P2 tournaments still play a crucial role in the tour. With 9 events throughout the year, P2 tournaments give players the chance to earn 500–600 points for a win, providing a platform for up-and-coming players to showcase their skills and for established players to boost their rankings.
2. Premier Padel Majors (4 Events)
The Premier Padel Majors are the crown jewels of the entire tour, offering the highest level of competition and rewards. There are 4 Major events throughout the season, and these tournaments represent the pinnacle of professional padel.
Winners of the Major tournaments earn a massive 2,000 ranking points, making them essential for players looking to climb to the top of the global rankings. These events also feature bigger prize money compared to other tournaments, drawing the world’s best padel players.
Majors are hosted in major international cities, and their reach extends far beyond the local crowd. With global broadcasts and packed arenas, these tournaments are a spectacle that padel fans can’t miss. Winning a Major can be a career-defining moment for players, giving them international recognition and a huge boost in their professional journey.
3. Premier Padel Finals/Masters (1 Event)
The season culminates in the Premier Padel Finals, also referred to as a Masters-style tournament, where the top eight ranked players face off for the ultimate showdown of the year. This high-stakes event determines the best pair of the season and provides a fitting finale to a year of intense competition.
Held in Barcelona, the Premier Padel Finals is not just a tournament but a spectacle that gathers the elite of the sport for a thrilling conclusion. Only the most consistent and dominant players of the season qualify, making it a highly anticipated event. The Finals serve as a celebration of padel, showcasing the best of the best in a battle for glory and providing fans with a fitting end to the season.
Premier Padel 2025 Tour Overview
The 2025 Premier Padel season is set to be a landmark year as the tour expands to 24 tournaments across 16 countries. With four types of events, Majors, P1, P2, and the Tour Finals, the circuit offers a dynamic mix of competition, including new locations in Miami, Cancun, Buenos Aires, and Germany, reflecting the sport's rapid global growth.
The season begins in February with the Riyadh Season P1, followed by inaugural tournaments in Miami and Cancun in March, and a return to Chile. Major events in Qatar (April), Italy (June), France (September), and Mexico (November) will highlight the year, with seven new locations adding to the excitement.
Spain and Italy will also feature prominently throughout the summer, while the mid-season break in August will be highlighted by the FIP Intercontinental Cup. The season wraps up with the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Finals in Barcelona (December), where the top 16 ranked players from both the men’s and women’s tours will compete for the ultimate title.
With 24 tournaments, including 7 new locations, the 2025 season is a major step forward for Premier Padel, bringing the sport to more fans globally and establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
