Focus on… Mexico. Where padel has crossed the one million mark

This week, the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour returns to Mexico, with the P2 in Cancun. Mexico is the American country that has seen the most growth on its continent in recent years, as evidenced by the rising numbers of players, clubs and international tournaments. According to estimates by the FIP Research & Data Analysis Department, in the Central American country there are more than 630 clubs and 2.300 courts where a million enthusiasts enjoy themselves, but the numbers are constantly increasing: numbers that have led Mexico to become the second American country, after Argentina, that follows padel the most.

The Federación Mexicana de Pádel (Femepa), which was founded on 27 April 1992, and became a member of the FIP in the same year, is the governing body of padel with more than 130 affiliated clubs and around 8,000 registered players. Femepa’s mission is to promote the professionalisation of padel in the country through the organisation of national and international tournaments, as well as the creation of training programmes for players, coaches and referees. Its objective is to position Mexico as a global reference point in padel, highlighting the quality of its athletes and sports facilities. One of the fundamental pillars of the federation is the National Padel Circuit, which brings together the country’s best players in high-level competitions. This circuit not only promotes local talent, but also serves as a platform to identify and prepare Mexican players who will participate from time to time in world championships organised by the International Padel Federation (FIP).

In 2024, 90 players (52 men and 38 women) participated in FIP international tournaments and 39 (21 boys and 18 girls) in the FIP Promises circuit. Also last year, six combined tournaments of the CUPRA FIP Tour of different categories (one FIP Platinum in Ciudad de Mexico, two FIP Gold in Saltillo and San Luis de Potosi, one FIP Star in Aguacalientes and two FIP Rise in Metepec) and two Premier Padel in Acapulco (one P1 and one Major) were held. In 2025, before the Premier Padel stage in Cancun, the FIP Platinum Puebla was played last week, and there are eight other tournaments already scheduled (seven on the CUPRA FIP Tour circuit and the Mexico Major Premier Padel in November).

In history there are 21 Mexican players who have won a CUPRA FIP Tour tournament, 17 of them women: the most successful is Ana Maria Cabrejas (currently number 120 in the world ranking) with six titles, including a FIP Platinum in 2022, followed by Ana Paula De La Pena with three titles (two won in pairs by the two Ana). The last tournament won by Mexican players was the FIP Rise Metepec in October 2024, where Cabrejas celebrated with her partner from Ciudad de Mexico Camila Ramme (currently the highest-ranked player in the FIP ranking, 102) in the women’s category; in the men’s category, on the other hand, the young Diego Arredondo (born in 2007), number 187 and a great hope of Mexican padel, triumphed.