The International Federation of Padel should it be inclusive or exclusive? Should it support only one professional circuit of padel or could it change its strategy to bring together all the players in the world of padel ?

FIP: an exclusive strategy so far

Until now, the FIP has played the card of exclusivity. Until last December, the FIP had supported the World Padel Tour. In exchange, the WPT had offered the FIP the merger of the rankings and the opportunity to create an FIP Tour offering points for the WPT.

Was this strategy endured or desired by the FIP? In any case, she seemed to have everything to gain by collaborating with the WPT, and her weight in the chessboard of the padel international has grown very strongly.

QSI changed everything

QSI shattered the links that existed between the FIP and the WPT. From now on, for the FIP, the WPT is the circuit to beat. Today is the war between the FIP and the WPT, and everything that had been built in recent years between the two institutions has flown away.

The official professional circuit recognized by the FIP is now the FIP QSI TOUR called Premier Padel. The WPT therefore becomes an unofficial professional circuit, just like the APT.

Several professional circuits: “why not"

The relationship between the APT Padel Tour and the International Federation have never been good. However, the APT Padel Tour also does important work in promoting our sport by offering a great showcase to young people in particular.

In 2018, the International Padel Tour did not obtain the support of the FIP to replace the World Padel Tour. Today, the tectonic plates are moving, and above all there is a common enemy: the World Padel Tour.

In 2022, we therefore have 3 professional circuits in operation: The WPT, the APT Padel Tower, and Premier Padel. The players would have every interest in having as many circuits as possible compete within the International Federation of Padel.

Several professional circuits of padel under the aegis of the FIP? "Why not” according to the president of the FFT, Gilles Moretton. Moreover, this structuring reminds him of that of golf, which we will discuss in a future article.

He pursues :

"Pwhy not (several circuits in the FIP). But then the actors have to be able to sit around a table and get along. But we are only a pawn within an International Federation of padel".

“We are not in charge of the FIP, the APT, or the WPT”.

“We have already met these players to tell them quite simply, do you hear us, today we are ready to go, we are ready to invest, we believe in padel, we can do great things to help you promote the padel, but now do you hear.”

“From there, we don't have to play any other role than this. You have to leave the actors. But when it comes to power and money, we know it's always very complicated.” 

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.