Record results for FIP circuits in 2023: 160 tournaments and 6.000 players for an increasingly global padel

More than 6.000 players registered in 160 tournaments, divided among the Premier Padel, CUPRA FIP Tour and FIP Promises circuits. The International Padel Federation’s 2023 marked record numbers for the growth of “pala” worldwide, just ahead of a new year – 2024 – that promises to be even more intense and full of goals.

WORLDWIDE PADEL At the professional level, the most striking figure of 2023 is that of 4.874 players who took to the court, representing 72 different countries. These numbers highlight the increasingly global nature of padel, involving athletes from around the world: from Spain to Kazakhstan, from Argentina to the Philippines, passing through Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Bahrain, and many others. Out of over 4.800 professional players, 1.362 are women (28% of the total) and 3.512 are men (72%), while junior athletes were 1.209.

COUNTRIES Eleven countries throughout the year totaled more than 100 registered players in various circuits. Spain leads the ranking with 1.461 athletes, about a third of the total. Italy takes the second spot, showing strong growth, with 433 players, and Argentina closes the podium with 330 athletes. The top 5 most represented countries also include Chile (199 players) and Brazil (186); among African countries, Egypt is the top country (146), ranking sixth ahead of France (141) and Mexico (134); among Asian countries, Japan stands out in ninth place (109), while the Netherlands closes the top 10 with 104 players.

RANKING Spain also dominates the FIP ranking. In the top 100 positions in the male category, 71 Spanish players are present; of these, 31 are in the top 50 positions, and 9 of them are among the top 20 in the ranking. Argentina also performs well, with 17 players in the top 100 (14 are also in the top 50 positions, and 9 are in the top 20). The list of the best also includes 5 Italians, 3 Brazilians, 2 French, one Chilean, and one Swedish player. The trend is the same for the female category, where Spanish athletes in the top 100 are 76 (including 15 in the Top 20). Following are 7 Italians, 5 Argentines, 3 Portuguese, 2 each from France, Brazil, and the Netherlands, and one player each from Sweden, Russia, and Belgium.

NEXT GEN The balance of 2023 also highlights the promises of padel. “The future of our sport lies in the talent of the younger players”, FIP President Luigi Carraro often emphasizes, and looking at the numbers, the future of “pala” is more promising than ever. Participants in the 36 FIP Promises tournaments were 1.209, divided among 492 Under 14, 472 Under 16, and 245 Under 18. The country with the highest number of young athletes was Spain, with over 750 young promises, followed by Italy with almost 200 and Belgium with 81.