Reigning world champion,  Argentina will arrive in Doha with a special status Two years after defeating Spain in a memorable final, the Albiceleste will have to defend their crown in the  FIP World Cup 2026 , from November 2 to 7.

But with which players?

The official selection is not yet known and, as with Spain, several choices could fuel the debate. Among the established players at the top of the world rankings, the explosion of  Leandro Augsburger , the situation of  Martín Di Nenno  and the inevitably special memory of  Tino Libaak The Argentine coach, hero of the 2024 title, will also have important decisions to make.

Tapia and Chingotto, the two obvious choices

It's hard to imagine Argentina without  Agustín Tapia and Federico Chingotto .

In the FIP rankings of August 10, 2026, Tapia shares first place in the world with Arturo Coello.  21 123 points Chingotto, meanwhile, occupies third place in the world, tied with Alejandro Galán, with  17 906 points .

They are simply the two highest-ranked Argentinians in the world.

Their importance to the national team had already been demonstrated during the 2024 World Cup final. With Argentina trailing 1-0 against Spain, Tapia and Chingotto were paired together to face Juan Lebrón and Alejandro Galán. They prevailed.  7/6 3/6 6/2 , bringing the Albiceleste level before the third match.

Augsburger is no longer just the young hero of 2024

In 2024,  Leandro Augsburger  It had been one of the gambles taken by the Argentine national team. He was only then...  32th in the world  at the time the teams were announced.

Two years later, the situation has completely changed.

As of August 10, 2026, Augsburger occupies the  6th place in the world with 7,716 points He is even the third Argentinian in the rankings, behind Tapia and Chingotto.

His selection would therefore no longer be a gamble on youth but rather a reflection of current sporting logic.

And his history with the Argentinian jersey is already considerable.

In the final of the 2024 World Cup, Augsburger and  Tino Libaak  had been given the responsibility of the third and final point against Paquito Navarro and Mike Yanguas. Trailing after the first set, the two young Argentinians turned the match around to win.  3/6 7/5 7/6  and deliver the world title to their country.

Stupaczuk still at the heart of the project

 Franco Stupaczuk  He also has strong arguments.

With  6 570 points , he occupies the  7th place in the world  in the world rankings of August 10. Argentina therefore has four players among the top seven in the world: Tapia, Chingotto, Augsburger and Stupaczuk.

Stupa was already present in Doha in 2024 and played the first match of the final with Martín Di Nenno. The Superpibes were then dominated 6/1 6/2 by Arturo Coello and Coki Nieto.

His experience in international competitions and his current ranking nevertheless make him one of the most difficult candidates to rule out.

Di Nenno: indispensable or the first real question?

Perhaps it's from  Martín Di Nenno  that's when the discussion becomes truly interesting.

The Argentinian is currently  11th in the world with 5,286 points Former world number 3, two-time world champion with Argentina in 2022 and 2024, he obviously has considerable experience in this type of event.

But his 2026 is less dominant than those of some of his compatriots: as of August 10, the FIP counts for him  24 wins and 15 losses on Premier Padel , without a title this season.

It remains very difficult to imagine him absent, but unlike Tapia or Chingotto, his place can be more part of the debate if we reason solely on the dynamics of the moment.

Tello is back in the discussion

 Juan Tello  presents a very different case.

He was not among the eight Argentinians selected for the 2024 World Cup. The selection then consisted of Tapia, Chingotto, Di Nenno, Stupaczuk, Sanyo Gutiérrez, Álex Chozas, Augsburger and Libaak.

But two years later, Tello occupies the  19th place in the world with 7,716 points He is therefore currently ranked significantly higher than several members of the 2024 world champion team.

His profile as a left-sided player and his immense experience can be significant factors when putting together a balanced team.

And what about Libaak?

It probably is  the most symbolic case of this selection .

Tino Libaak will forever be associated with the 2024 world title. With Augsburger, he scored the decisive point in the final against Spain.

At just 19 years old at the time, he had shouldered the pressure of a third World Cup final match to give Argentina its  12th men's world title .

But a 2026 selection obviously cannot be built solely on the memory of 2024.

Libaak currently has  1 FIP points His 2026 season shows 12 wins and 14 losses out of Premier Padel.

The dilemma is therefore fascinating: should we favour the player who has already shown that he can deliver in the most important moment of a World Cup, or turn to Argentinians currently better placed in the hierarchy?

Chozas, another well-known option in the selection

 Alex Chozas  He was also among the eight world champions of 2024.

His situation is different today. He occupies the  32th place in the world with 7,716 points .

He remains a player known to the Argentinian staff and now possesses the experience of a victorious world campaign.

His presence seems less obvious than in 2024, but he logically remains in the extended list of candidates.

A 2024 team that could be significantly revamped

This is where the comparison becomes interesting.

Argentina, the 2024 world champions, were composed of:

 Agustín Tapia, Federico Chingotto, Martín Di Nenno, Franco Stupaczuk, Sanyo Gutiérrez, Álex Chozas, Leandro Augsburger and Tino Libaak. 

Two years later, the hierarchy has changed a lot.

Augsburger has gone from being a young gamble to  6th world rank Tello has returned to 19th place. Di Nenno remains just outside the Top 10. Chozas and Libaak are now further from the top spots.

The coach will therefore have to answer a rather unusual question for a reigning world champion:  How far should you change a winning team? 

Argentina already has four players in the Top 7

One thing is certain: the Albiceleste will not arrive in Doha weakened.

Four Argentinians are among the seven best players in the world:

 Agustín Tapia n°1, Federico Chingotto n°3, Leandro Augsburger n°6 and Franco Stupaczuk n°7. 

Behind them, Martín Di Nenno remains No. 11 and Juan Tello No. 19.

On paper, a very solid foundation is already emerging.

But the 2024 World Cup has already demonstrated this:  Individual rankings are not everything in a team competition .

Argentina had won the title thanks to an Augsburger/Libaak pairing who, at the time the squad was announced, only occupied the  32th and 36th in the world rankings .

Two years later, Spain would seek its revenge.

And Argentina will once again have to find not only its eight best players, but above all  the three pairs capable of retaining the world crown .

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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