There has been intense activity in recent months for padel in France, particularly on the administrative and competitive fronts. On the occasion of the  FFT Padel Tour Lyon , Éric Largeron, elected in charge of padel at the  French Tennis Federation , takes stock of these developments. Among the topics covered: the renewal of the  Professional Purpose Title (TFP) , the new tournament categories and the challenges of international competition.

 France Compétences and the renewal of the TFP 

The renewal of  Professional Purpose Title (TFP)  has been a hot topic for clubs and coaches. After a long wait,  France Skills  validated the certification in February, a decision that should have been made last September.

“It's a Pyrrhic victory, as many interns put their careers on hold while waiting for this validation. Financially, it was difficult for them.” explains Eric Largeron. “We should be in the review phase right now, but the training doesn't start until March and ends in September. It's a lesser evil, but it's nothing to be proud of.”

“The Federation has also suffered this delay, but the real victims are the training centers and the trainees. France Compétences is an independent organization that processes applications in order of priority, of which padel represents only a tiny fraction.”

La  FFT  also suffered from the delays imposed by France Compétences, an independent organization that took a long time to process this file. According to Largeron, the precise reasons for this delay remain unclear:

“If we really knew why, I would say so. It would have avoided all the speculation. The only thing we know is that the application was rejected in November due to a lack of precision in its description. These corrections were made and validated in February.”

The important thing, however, remains the completion of this training, which will allow official recognition of the TFP for three years.

The TFP renewed by France Compétences: a 2024/2025 year saved for clubs and candidates

 The introduction of P50s and the evolution of tournaments 

Discussions on the structuring of the  amateur circuit  are also moving forward. One of the proposals concerns the creation of  P50 , a new intermediate category between the P25 and P100.

“The idea is to better structure the amateur competition. The P25 is a good starting point, and the P100 is already solid, but there was no intermediate level. We're also working on a possible increase in the scales for the P500 and P1000.”

Furthermore, a significant change will concern the  P1000 , which will now be managed at the level  regional . Each league will be allocated a quota of tournaments to organize, unlike the old method where the  FFT  set the national calendar. This measure aims to strengthen the autonomy of the leagues and to better distribute competitions according to the  number of clubs and licensees .

TFP, P50, P1000, Paris Major: Éric Largeron takes stock of the future of padel in France

 The uncertainty surrounding the players' strike on the international circuit 

Recent news has also been marked by tensions within the professional circuit.  players' strike  broke out in some category tournaments  P2 and FIP , raising questions about the future of the circuit  Premier Padel .

“All the world's best players are present at the P1s and Majors. However, there has been a boycott of the P2s and FIP tournaments, with absences in Gijon and Cancun in particular. This situation seems to be gradually easing.”

La  FFT , although concerned by the organization of the  Paris Major , was kept out of negotiations between players and the International Federation of Padel (FIP).

“We are dependent on the FIP, but we have not been specifically informed of the players' intentions. We fully respect their right to strike, but we would have liked to have been more involved in the discussions.”

 Tensions surrounding the governance of world padel 

A sensitive subject concerns the double role of the president of the  International Federation of Padel (FIP) ,  Luigi Carraro , which also sits on the  board of Premier Padel , a private structure.

“Some players denounce this mixing of genres, explaining that it harms transparency. We, as a national federation, have not taken a position on this issue.”

Next time  FIP General Assembly , this issue should be addressed.

“We will listen to what is said. Luigi Carraro works for the development of padel, and he will know how to respond to criticism. Our priority remains the development of padel in France and the organization of our competitions.”

Luigi Carraro, the President of the FIP accused of being in the pocket of Premier Padel

 The Paris Major confirmed at Roland-Garros 

After several uncertainties, the  Paris Major  will stay well  Roland Garros . Other cities, including  Madrid , had tried to recover this event.

“Finally, the tournament is staying in France, and that’s excellent news for French padel. We have signed a multi-year contract with  Premier Padel . "

However, adjustments will be made in the next edition:

  • The duration will be reduced by  nine to seven days .
  • Le  female painting  will be slightly reduced.
  • The tournament management will adapt to international standards.

“We are moving closer to the models of major international tournaments. The goal is to improve the organization and long-term viability of the event.”

Paris Major 2025: dates, program and tickets

 The future of French padel under construction 

Finally, the interview concluded with the evolution of padel in France and its gradual integration into the federal landscape.  FFT  continues to structure its competitions and support clubs in their development.

“We still have work to do to professionalize the circuit, but we're on the right track. The goal is to create a solid and sustainable framework for French padel, taking into account the expectations of players, coaches, and organizers.”

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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