© EFE
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIP) on Tuesday announced an important new chapter in the sport’s history. The Federation is organizing a brand new Padel Tour. The best players from all over the world will participate in the only official world paddle tournament.
source† BELGA
The new event will be based on an entirely new global agenda of international and national competitions – including four first-class events (the disciplines). At least 10 tournaments are planned for 2022 and 2023, the first of which will take place in March. By 2024, the number of tournaments in the tour could reach 25. Dates, locations, prize money, sponsors, TV partners and all other details will be announced at a later time.
With the new round, FIP wants to professionalize and globalize the padel sport in collaboration with the world’s best players, united in the Professional Players Association (PPA). The partnership with Qatar Sports Investments, the investment group behind many leading sports brands and companies, should provide the necessary expertise and business acumen to develop sports on a global scale.
Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world with over 25 million players worldwide (a number that has doubled in the last five years). The same number of men and women of all ages and backgrounds participate in the sport. Padel has become the most popular sport after football in many countries. In recent years, FIFA has developed ambitious plans to make the sport a part of the Olympic Games as early as 2028 in Los Angeles.
