FIP report counts 40 million players and €8.6bn in GDP as Milan's big names arrive

FIP's World Padel Report 2026 counts more than 40 million players. Published today, the report puts the number of courts worldwide above 91,200, up 20.4% in a year, with 3,890 more clubs than in the 2025 edition. Players registered with federations rose 30.5% to 1.11 million, and padel is now played in 191 countries and territories. For the first time the report includes an economic impact study, carried out with OpenEconomics, which estimates that the sport generates €8.6 billion in GDP and supports more than 235,000 jobs. FIP also lists 434 confirmed tournaments in 62 countries for 2026, up from 290 in 2025. Source: FIP

Italian women win at home as Milan's second day ends. Giulia Dal Pozzo and Nuria Rodríguez beat Marchetti and Arruabarrena 6-0, 6-3, and Carolina Orsi and Patty Llaguno came from a set down to beat Saiz and Talavan. Velasco and Eugenio knocked out seventh seeds Guinart and Alonso 7-5 in the deciding set. In the men's draw, Navarro and Di Nenno, González and Campagnolo, Guerrero and Leal, and Yanguas and Lijó all went through. Top seeds Coello and Tapia play qualifiers Ayats and Chamero today, and defending champions Chingotto and Galán face the Deus brothers. Source: FIP

Milan's champions will get rings as well as trophies. Actu Padel reports that the four players who win the Milan P1 titles will each get a ring from Lagati Padel Jewels with 72 stones: 56 diamonds, plus eight rubies and eight emeralds in Italy's colours. Diamonds pick out the Duomo in the centre, and two small racket shapes inside the band let the wearer adjust the size. The outlet says it is the first time Premier Padel has awarded championship rings. Source: Actu Padel (French)

Campagnolo signs with Oxdog until the end of 2028. The Brazilian left Drop Shot last week after 12 years and had been playing with an unbranded black racket in Rotterdam and Düsseldorf. At world number 15 he becomes the Swedish brand's highest-ranked player, ahead of Álex Ruiz. Padel Addict adds that talk of Nike moving into padel is still unconfirmed. Source: Padel Addict (Spanish)

Calvo and Fernández have reshaped the top of the women's tour. Padel Addict calculates that since they paired up they have earned 3,940 points from two titles (London P1 and Germany P2) and two more finals, including the Paris Major. That is more than world number ones Triay and Brea and also Sánchez and Ustero, who each earned 3,680 in the same period. González and Josemaría are the only top-four pair without a title in that time, despite winning five earlier in the season. Source: Padel Addict (Spanish)

Injuries end British hopes at the Stratford FIP Silver. The Padel Paper reports that GB number one Aimee Gibson and her partner Alba Pérez Mohma retired in the women's quarter-finals because of Pérez Mohma's injury. GB number two Catherine Rose and Rebeca López also retired at that stage, trailing 6-1, 4-3. In the men's draw, GB number one Christian Medina Murphy and Alberto García Jiménez lost their quarter-final 6-1, 6-2. Source: The Padel Paper

A Birmingham club is running a free inclusive open day. Connect Padel, at Moseley Rugby Club, is offering free adapted taster sessions on Saturday 17 October for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent children and adults. It is working with Access Sport and Acez Tennis/Padel, and its coaching and front-of-house staff have had disability inclusion training. The founder says the club gives 1,000 free court hours a year to schools, charities and community groups. Source: The Padel Paper