The French Tennis Federation continues to harmonize and supervise the competitive practice of padel in France.  Competition Guide Padel 2026 , updated in July 2025, details new  sports rules  applicable from the start of the school year, with the aim of better managing game formats, the pace of matches and fairness between participants. Here's what you need to know.

A mandatory weight order for all pairs and teams

In all competitions,  pairs or teams will have to be ranked from 1 to N according to their “sporting weight” , that is to say their relative level, in order to guarantee a logical sequence of meetings.

Depending on the formula chosen, several  sequences are possible  :

  •  TMC  (Multi-Chance Tables)
  •  Groups + intermediate tables + final table 
  •  Groups + final table or TMC 

The draw must be  carried out in front of witnesses , and  the table once displayed can no longer be modified , except in duly justified exceptional cases (see WO software).

Number of mandatory matches according to the type of competition

For  pair competitions , each team will have to play  at least 3 matches , according to formats A, B, C or D. The organizer is required to offer  all classification matches  to define a  clear final ranking .

Exceptions are only allowed in the event of  injury, forfeit, weather conditions or technical incidents . In these cases, the pair will be ranked at  least favorable rank  that it could achieve in the phase concerned.

For formats  E and F , the minimum is set at  5 games .

For  team competitions , this obligation of 3 matches does not apply systematically. It is advisable to refer to the specific regulations for each championship.

The different game formats are now standardized

All matches have a  single coefficient (1)  in the calculation of the ranking, regardless of the format adopted. Here are the available formats:

 Last Name  Match structure  Decisive point 
A13 sets to 6 games, TB at 6-6No
A2same as A1Yes
B12 sets of 6 games + super TB (10)No
B2same as B1Yes
C12 sets of 4 games + super TB (10)No
C2same as C1Yes
D11 set to 9 games, TB at 8-8No
D2same as D1Yes
E1 super TB at 10 points
F1 set to 4 games, TB at 3-3Yes

 Youth competitions  will only use formats  with decisive point , as well as the E format.

Rhythm and number of matches allowed per day

Le  number of matches per day  is capped depending on the formats chosen:

  •  2 matches/day  : all formats allowed
  •  3 matches/day  : max 2 in A1 or A2
  •  4 matches/day  : max 2 in A1/A2 and 3 in B1/B2
  •  5 matches/day  : none in A1/A2, max 3 in B1/B2
  •  6 matches/day  : only C1, C2, D1 or D2 formats
  •  7 matches/day or more  : reserved for P25 tournaments, organized over an evening or half-day, with short formats (E, F)
FFT: new padel regulations for the 2026 season

Regulatory rest time

The FFT also clarified the  minimum rest time between two matches  :

 Previous format  Minimum rest required 
A1 or A21:30
B1 or B21:00
C1, C2, D1, D230 min
E (x3) or F15 min

Le  rest time can be reduced  si  the 4 players give their written consent  to the referee.

Otherwise :

  •  No match can start after midnight. 
  •  Between two days , an  minimum 12 hours of rest  is imposed.
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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