Padel experienced a symbolic moment on the sidelines of the  BNL Italy Major Premier Padel 2026 While the tournament is in full swing at the Foro Italico in Rome, the president of the International Federation of Padel (FIP), Luigi Carraro, and Spanish star Paquito Navarro were received at the Vatican by Pope Leo XIV.

This meeting, organised with the support of Athletica Vaticana, the official sports association of the Holy See, illustrates the growing place that padel occupies today on the international scene.

Padel in the spotlight at the Vatican

During this audience, Luigi Carraro presented the Pope with a commemorative racket for Rome Major 2026. A highly symbolic gesture intended to represent a sport that is experiencing spectacular growth around the world and that brings together millions of players.

Beyond the institutional aspect, this meeting highlighted the values ​​associated with padel: sharing, respect for the opponent, team spirit and inclusion.

A message from the Pope in support of sport

This audience comes a few days after a speech by Pope Leo XIV devoted to the role of sport in society.

The Pope emphasized the ability of sport to create bonds between individuals and to foster social cohesion. He reiterated the importance of preserving the values ​​of fraternity, respect, and peace within sporting activities.

These principles resonate particularly in padel, a discipline based on teamwork and constant interaction between partners and opponents.

A sport in full global expansion

In just a few years, padel has become one of the most dynamic sports on the planet. Its rapid development in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and now in many other regions of the world is explained in particular by its accessibility and its social dimension.

For Luigi Carraro, the values ​​promoted by the Pope perfectly reflect the identity of modern padel. The sport fosters encounters between generations, exchanges between cultures, and mutual respect—all elements that contribute to its growing success.

Paquito Navarro, ambassador of padel world

Paquito Navarro's presence alongside the FIP president was not insignificant. An emblematic figure of the professional circuit and one of the most popular players with the public, the Spaniard has for many years represented the image of a spectacular padel that also respects sporting values.

His participation in this meeting reinforced the message conveyed by international bodies: that of a sport capable of going beyond the simple framework of competition to become a true vector of dialogue and rapprochement between peoples.

A highlight for the international padel community

Also present at the audience were several representatives from the professional circuit and the padel industry who accompanied the delegation. This meeting at the Vatican will remain one of the highlights of the 2026 Italy Major.

As padel continues its development across all continents, this symbolic recognition testifies to the growing influence of a sport that seeks to combine performance, conviviality and openness to the greatest number.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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