Premier Padel Men’s and Women’s Steering Committees – Foro Italico, Rome 5 June 2026

Meeting Minutes

10:30 – 12:30 (2hrs)      

Attendees

• David Sugden, CEO Premier Padel & General Secretary Qatar Sports Investments 
• Luigi Carraro, FIP President, Vice Chair Premier Padel
• David Serrahima, Deputy CEO Premier Padel
• Rob Mitchell, Vice President Commercial Premier Padel
• Guillermo Alcaide, FIP Sporting Director
• Stefano La Porta, FIP Legal Director
• Jorge Mañe, President of the Mexican Padel Federation & Mexico Major (Major representative)
• Arnaud Di Pasquale, Tournament Director Paris Major (observer / delegate of Stéphane Morel) (ONLINE)
• Joan Cuscó, President of Esedos Padel & Spanish Tournaments (P1 representative)
• Vincent Laureyssens, Executive President Brussels P2 (P2 representative)
• Alfredo Peñalver, Bullpadel CEO (Commercial Partners’ representative)
• Nicole Gruber-Gil Lopez, Red Bull Head of Acquisitions & Rights Holder Management (Broadcasters’ representative)
• Jose Luis Martinez, Head of Officiating & Tour Supervisor (Officials’ representative)
• Enrique Buenaventura, Founder Hexagon Cup, Chief Business Affairs & Legal at Formula E (Independent member)
• Maxi Sánchez Agüero, male player representative 
• Carlos Pozzoni, coach/trainer representative
• Maria Teixidor, Executive Director IPPA (Observer)
• Roberto Alvarez Martinez, Partner at Cuatrecasas (Committee Secretary)
• Pierrick Ysern, COO, Premier Padel Executive Committee (presenter of media rights update)

Introduction (15 minutes)

• Luigi Carraro welcomed attendees to the Italy Major in Rome. David Sugden noted it was the third meeting of the Premier Padel Steering Committees, thanking those attending in-person and remotely during a busy period in the international sporting calendar, with both the Italy Major and Roland-Garros taking place simultaneously (and hence Stéphane Morel being represented by Arnaud Di Pasquale). It was also noted that several players could not attend due to playing commitments.
• Luigi Carraro reflected on the success of the Steering Committees initiative and the stakeholder-wide contribution to the decisions and governance of the Tour, noting the value of bringing together representatives from across the padel ecosystem to discuss strategic priorities, share perspectives and collectively support the continued growth of the sport.
• Luigi Carraro congratulated Premier Padel Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi on an exceptional period for Qatar Sports Investments, highlighting the historic achievement of Paris Saint-Germain winning the UEFA Champions League for a second consecutive season. It was noted that this success reflects the ambition, leadership and long-term vision that characterise the wider Qatar Sports Investments portfolio, of which Premier Padel is proud to be a part.
• David Sugden discussed the benefits that Premier Padel derives from being part of the Qatar Sports Investments network and under the leadership of Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, including access to world-class expertise, global relationships and a shared commitment to building leading international sports properties.
• Members reflected on the significant progress made by the Tour in recent years, noting the continued improvement in venues, event presentation and fan experience across the calendar – in contrast to professional padel tournaments often taking place in warehouses only a few years ago. The Italy Major was highlighted as a strong example of the collective ambition shared by Premier Padel, the FIP, promoters, players, partners and broadcasters to continue raising standards across the sport – being one of the most iconic venues in sport today.

Presentation (45 minutes) – The presentation deck is included in the Annex for reference.

• David Serrahima provided an overview of Premier Padel’s continued growth trajectory during the first half of 2026, highlighting strong performance across audience, digital, broadcast and commercial metrics. The Tour has surpassed one billion social media views in 2026, reached 4 million followers across social platforms and continued to expand its global fan base. Record in-person attendance at events in 2026 and remote engagement through digital innovations (e.g., website / app revamp, Red Bull game) are driving growth.
• Members reviewed highlights from the 2026 season so far, reflecting on successful tournaments across Riyadh, Cancún, Gijón, Miami, NewGiza, Brussels, Asunción and Buenos Aires. The discussion emphasised the quality of events delivered across diverse international markets and the continued growth of the sport globally. This is despite the geopolitical and military conflicts around the world, which Premier Padel has carefully navigated.
• David Serrahima presented an update on the growth of the Premier Padel / FIP teams, noting that the Tour’s activities now extend beyond tournament delivery and increasingly encompass special projects, commercial development and strategic collaborations – requiring new colleagues in specialist areas. Collectively PP / FIP have 100 employees, compared to only a handful of full-time staff only a few years ago.
• Nicole Gruber-Gil Lopez provided an update on Premier Padel’s continued audience growth across Red Bull’s platforms, highlighting an 85% increase in earned media, more than 250% growth across social media and approximately 25% growth on Red Bull TV compared to the previous year. Strong growth beyond the Tour’s traditional markets also noted, including 90% in Germany and significant growth across the United Kingdom, South Africa, Portugal and Italy, demonstrating the sport’s expanding international appeal.
• Rob Mitchell provided an overview of recent commercial developments, highlighting the successful Heineken activation in Miami and future events across key tournaments, as well as discussing new agreements with WHOOP and Audemars Piguet. Askamon, a specific medical record software, will support Premier Padel and raise professional standards in record keeping, improving health and wellbeing support for players and the medical team across the Tour. Additionally, he highlighted the distribution of WHOOP´s devices and memberships to all main-draw players in Miami, representing a very significant investment which benefits all players. Members discussed the benefits of wearable technology for performance, recovery and player development, including collaboration with the FIP and FIP Academy. It was also noted that WHOOP data presents exciting opportunities for storytelling across broadcast and social media.
• Luigi Carraro congratulated the Premier Padel team on securing the Heineken relationship, noting that Heineken sponsors only a select number of global properties, including the UEFA Champions League, Formula One and Coachella. Members agreed the partnership is a strong endorsement of Premier Padel’s growing international profile and commercial appeal.
• Pierrick Ysern provided an update on international media rights growth, highlighting the addition of new broadcast partners in Albania, Bulgaria, South Africa and Croatia. From 2027, Premier Padel will bring media rights sales and management in-house, enabling a more tailored market-by-market approach, greater focus on both established and emerging territories, and closer relationships with broadcasters to support the continued growth, visibility and accessibility of the sport globally.
• Rob Mitchell provided an update on Premier Padel’s special projects programme, highlighting a series of strategic activations delivered through the wider Qatar Sports Investments network. Members were briefed on initiatives linked to the UEFA Champions League Final, Formula One (including the Qatar and Singapore Grands Prix), the FIFA World Cup, Art Basel and the NBA. It was noted that these projects provide valuable opportunities to engage with global business leaders, partners, rights holders and influencers, while supporting Premier Padel’s expansion into new markets and positioning the sport alongside some of the world’s leading sports, entertainment and cultural properties. The bespoke artistic court opened by David Beckham and other global dignitaries and exhibited by Premier Padel at Art Basel Qatar (then later donated to a local charity) – which gained media attention around the world – was noted as a particularly innovative and impactful project from the Premier Padel team.
• Rob Mitchell updated on a range of digital fan-focused initiatives being implemented across the Tour, specifically a new fan-focused retail proposition due to launch in the next month and the new Red Bull Premier Padel game. The relaunch of the Premier Padel website and app was also highlighted
• Pierrick Ysern spoke about Premier Padel’s developments into betting integrity and the growing partnership with Sportradar, which runs a market-leading betting integrity programme. He outlined measures being taken to protect the sport from match-fixing and to safeguard competitive integrity. The importance of educating players and stakeholders on integrity issues was also highlighted.
• Nicole Gruber-Gil Lopez presented an overview of the highly successful launch of Red Bull Padel: Court Legends, emphasising the initiative was designed not only as a commercial opportunity but also as a long-term investment in growing the sport by reaching younger audiences, gamers and future padel participants. An impressive 150,000 downloads within its first week following launch were recorded.
• Nicole Gruber-Gil Lopez also reported that initial performance metrics demonstrated strong user engagement, with more than 350,000 gameplay sessions recorded, an overall user rating of 4.57, an average session length of 10.63 minutes and average daily playtime of 17.63 minutes per player. 
• Guillermo Alcaide presented a report into the Star Point innovation, noting that the initiative was introduced with two principal objectives: improving player welfare through shorter match durations and creating a distinctive identity for Premier Padel. Members reviewed positive feedback received from players, coaches, promoters, national federations and other stakeholders, and welcomed evidence that the format is helping to reduce match times while enhancing the sport’s entertainment value and broadcast appeal.
• Luigi Carraro presented an update on FIP’s Olympics inclusion campaign, outlining significant progress across both institutional and sporting objectives. Members noted that padel is now included in all major continental multi-sport games, including the European Games, Asian Games, African Games, South American Games and Mediterranean Games, and that the sport now fulfils the key criteria required for Olympic consideration. The importance of continued collaboration between Premier Padel, the FIP, players, promoters, broadcasters and partners was emphasised as the campaign enters a critical phase ahead of further discussions with the IOC.

Committees’ discussions (60 minutes)

Geopolitical situation

• David Sugden opened the discussion by reflecting on the significant geopolitical challenges presented by the Iran war over recent months, and also the war in Gaza which is close to various Premier Padel tournament countries. He noted that, unlike other international sports properties that had been forced to cancel events or dilute their sporting structures, Premier Padel and the FIP had successfully protected the integrity of the Tour through a combination of calendar adjustments, tournament upgrades and the development of new strategic relationships in key markets to  protect player´s interests, in particular FIP Ranking Points and  prize money opportunities.
• Members were informed that, despite considerable uncertainty across the Gulf region and wider international landscape, the Tour had successfully retained all four Majors, preserved the FIP World Cup and upgraded several tournaments and territories that are strategically important for the future growth of the sport. 
• Luigi Carraro reiterated that all decisions had been taken with player welfare and the long-term health of the ecosystem in mind. Most importantly, he noted that considerable effort had been required to maintain a coherent calendar while protecting ranking points and prize money opportunities for players, and tournament commitments (often all at cost to Premier Padel), while also avoiding situations that would force players into excessive travel, scheduling conflicts or unnecessary physical strain.
• David Sugden thanked the Premier Padel and FIP teams for their efforts in navigating an exceptionally complex environment while ensuring minimal disruption for promoters, broadcasters and commercial partners – and especially the players.

Calendar update

• Guillermo Alcaide presented an update on the Tour calendar, emphasising that player health and long-term sustainability remain the primary considerations when planning future seasons. Members were informed that, after four years of operating the Tour, Premier Padel and the FIP are now in a position to address a number of structural challenges identified during previous seasons and continue refining the calendar accordingly.
• It was noted that the 2027 calendar is expected to follow a similar structure to 2026, with only limited changes to host cities. However, work is already underway on the 2028 calendar, with a particular focus on expansion into Asia and other strategically important growth markets. Members discussed the importance of balancing international expansion with operational stability and player welfare.
• Luigi Carraro highlighted that, for the first time, Premier Padel and the FIP are simultaneously planning two seasons ahead, allowing for a more strategic approach to global growth. He outlined the ambition to introduce new territories while maintaining the consistency and predictability required by players, promoters and commercial partners.

Future ranking points system

• Luigi Carraro introduced a discussion on proposed adjustments to the ranking points system, emphasising the responsibility of all stakeholders to prioritise the collective interests of the sport. He noted that, while debate and differing opinions are natural, the objective of any reform must be to strengthen the long-term development of padel rather than respond solely to short-term pressures.
• The current system, under which 22 tournaments count towards the ranking, is already reflected in existing agreements between Premier Padel and tournament promoters. The proposal to reduce the number of counting events from 22 to 21 was formally put to the promoter representatives at the meeting, who were invited to share their views on whether they would be willing to make this legal and contractual concession in support of player welfare.
• While acknowledging that some stakeholders may favour a greater reduction, it was highlighted that padel already operates under a more selective ranking system than many other sports, taking up a comparatively small part of the calendar. Reference was made to World Padel Tour, where all tournaments counted towards the ranking, as well as Formula 1 and football, where every race or match contributes to the standings. Comparisons with tennis were also addressed, noting that although players compete in fewer events, Grand Slams are played over two weeks with best-of-five-set matches in the men’s draw, while Masters 1000 tournaments span up to 12 days and involve a significantly heavier match load. In that context, the proposed reduction from 22 to 21 events was presented as a measured and balanced step.
• Jose Luis Martinez presented a series of proposed amendments designed to increase the value of progression through the main draw of Premier Padel tournaments. Members were informed that ranking points would increase significantly from the first round through to the quarter-finals across Majors, P1 and P2 events, providing greater reward for players advancing through the Tour’s premier competitions.
• Members also reviewed proposals to introduce participation limits within the CUPRA FIP Tour. Under the proposed model, the highest-ranked players would face restrictions on entering Gold, Silver and Bronze events, creating additional opportunities for emerging players and supporting the development of talent from new and non-traditional padel markets.
• Jose Luis Martinez outlined further proposals to regulate participation in multiple tournaments during the same week and to amend the calculation of ranking points earned across overlapping events. The objective is to strengthen the sporting value of Premier Padel tournaments and ensure greater consistency across the pyramid of professional competition.
• Jorge Mañe stressed that the decision is not without challenges. Promoters have built commitments with sponsors around the current format and calendar, and many stakeholders across the sport are still operating at a financial loss while continuing to invest in the Tour’s long-term growth. Despite not being happy with the reduction of tournaments that count for the Ranking, he recognised the importance of supporting measures that contribute to the sustainable development of the sport and accepted the change in a spirit of shared responsibility.
• Joan Cuscó raised concerns about reducing the number of tournaments which count towards rankings from 22 to 21, highlighting the impact of a decision that effectively reduces activity at a time when the sport’s objective is continued growth. He highlighted that tournament organisers remain in a financially fragile position, with many still investing heavily despite limited financial returns. While reaffirming his full support for initiatives that improve player welfare, he noted that this particular change will inevitably affect some events and promoters. Although he expressed complete solidarity with the Tour, the FIP and Premier Padel, he described the measure as a step back in the wider effort to drive the sport forward. It was also noted that a handful of top players could not with credibility complain about workload, welfare and too many tournaments on the Tour, and at the same time fly around the world attending exhibitions, which do nothing for the broader padel ecosystem nor players at large.
• Maxi Sánchez Agüero, speaking from the players’ perspective, strongly supported the proposal to reduce the number of ranking-counting tournaments, stressing that it is not a step backwards but a reflection of the Tour’s maturity and continued growth. He emphasised that players have been requesting this change for years in order to better manage their schedules, recovery and long-term health. While acknowledging promoters’ concerns, he expressed confidence that players will continue to compete across the Premier Padel calendar regardless of ranking changes. He also agreed that reducing the competitive workload only to replace it with more exhibition appearances could be counterproductive, and stressed that players should be mindful of that balance. At the same time, he noted that exhibitions place significantly lower physical and mental demands on players than a professional tournament week.
• Vincent Laureyssens outlined the perspective of P2 tournaments, highlighting these as the category most likely to be affected by the shift. He welcomed the broader package of reforms, noting that the increase in FIP Ranking Points awarded at Premier Padel P2 events would help offset the reduction in counting tournaments and maintain the attractiveness of the Tour for players. He also stressed the importance of managing exhibition events responsibly to ensure that players remain committed to supporting the Tour and its stakeholders. He noted that the reduction of tournaments that count towards ranking would disproportionately affect his tournament and all P2s. While he was not happy with the measure, he confirmed that he was willing to make this concession for the greater good of the project, and if the players in turn supported promoters more. It was also noted that the Olympic pathway demanded more tournaments and visibility from Premier Padel and FIP, not fewer tournaments – especially given the hyper competitive landscape of other sports seeking Olympic inclusion.
• Arnaud Di Pasquale agreed on the importance of finding the right balance between player welfare, commercial sustainability and the continued growth of the sport. He was clear that it would be inappropriate for players to take the reduction of tournaments which count towards rankings as an opportunity to increase their participation in exhibitions. He also reiterated the FFT's support for the Olympic campaign and offered assistance in promoting padel during the Paris Major. 
• Luigi Carraro provided an overview of future plans for the Hexagon World Series – reiterating its full integration into the Premier Padel and FIP ecosystem. Plans for further innovation within the product and plans for four events in 2027.
• Enrique Buenaventura explained that the evolution of Hexagon Cup into the Hexagon World Series was intended, in part, to help regulate the exhibition market by providing players with professionally managed events integrated within the wider padel ecosystem and coordinated with the Tour calendar. Players are at the heart of the concept – we want to minimise player travel, reduce time on court and undertake measure wherever possible to safeguard health and wellbeing, so that the HWS is complementary with the professional calendar.
• Luigi Carraro said the discussion was a perfect example of the value of the Steering Committees as a forum for building trust among all stakeholders. He noted that the Tour’s role is often to balance competing interests, and that this proposal clearly showed how some felt the change did not go far enough while others believed it went too far. In his view, finding a middle ground is essential to making balanced decisions that serve both the present and the long-term future of the sport.
• David Sugden concluded the discussion by emphasising that all stakeholders face different pressures and challenges, and that the objective of the Steering Committees is to identify balanced solutions that serve the collective interests of the sport. He noted that sustainable growth requires compromise from all parties and reiterated that Olympic inclusion remains the single greatest opportunity to accelerate investment, visibility and commercial development across the entire padel ecosystem. It was noted that despite every stakeholder in the Committees being, essentially, against the tournament ranking reduction – other than the players – this measure was still passed and approved by the Committees, showing the collective interest of all (and constant consideration for players) took precedence.
• Members broadly agreed that international expansion remains essential for the future of the sport and that continued growth in new markets will be critical to developing future generations of players, fans and commercial partners.

Any other business

• Maria Teixidor highlighted the economic challenges facing many professional players, particularly in the women’s game. Referring to recent player survey data, she noted that according her calculations 78% of respondents reported net earning below the Spanish minimum wage from their sporting activities after expenses, 54% reported annual earnings below €10,000 a year, and 81% indicated that they were unable to generate meaningful savings. Maria emphasised the importance of considering these economic realities when evaluating future ranking, calendar and participation reforms.
• David Sugden acknowledged the financial challenges faced by players across all sports but highlighted the significant investment being made in women’s padel. He noted that Premier Padel distributed almost €1.7 million above contractual commitments with women's players. He stressed that Premier Padel, together with its sponsors, partners and broadcasters, remains committed to increasing revenues and opportunities for both women and men, while also encouraging players to recognise the substantial efforts already being made across the sport to support its continued professionalisation and growth, and close prize money gaps where they still exist.  
• David Sugden also added that there is a material difference between turnover and profitability. While Premier Padel has worked night and day to attract new commercial partners and tournament hosts, firstly Premier Padel has passed on many new revenues to promoters given their historic losses in delivering tournaments (e.g. revenues from WHOOP, Heineken, Red Bull and others); and secondly turnover/revenue is not the same as profitability. David Sugden added that every single stakeholder around the table had incurred significant and repeated losses since the project began in 2022, and in fact the only stakeholder group that has significantly improved their financial position thanks to the tour was the small handful of top players. David Sugden warned of the dangers of non-regulated exhibitions, which only enriched a small handful of top players, doing nothing for the majority of lesser ranked players, while also damaging Premier Padel promoters. If it was the wish of players to increase prize money, this comes from the promoters; therefore everything possible should be done by players to help the promoters – as Premier Padel is doing.

Close

• David Sugden and Luigi Carraro thanked the whole Steering Committee for their thoughtful participation in the event. It was noted that the next Committees meetings would take place during the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Finals in Barcelona in December.
• Bullpadel presented all Steering Committee members with a limited-edition BNL Italy Major Premier Padel racquet.
• It was noted that a communication of all the measures approved by the Committees would be made the following week, and that the meetings minutes – like all minutes – would be publicly available to show the transparency of the Committees and governance of the Tour. It was requested that all parties keep the decisions private until such time as they’re publicly announced.

19 June 2026