The Future of Padel: Premier Padel, FIP and Hexagon Unite for Global Growth at RacquetX Miami

At RacquetX, a world-first event that brings the entire racquet sports industry together, three leading forces in padel—Premier Padel, the International Padel Federation (FIP), and Hexagon Cup—came together for a forward-looking session titled The Future of Padel: Global Growth, Innovation, and Industry Leadership. The panel highlighted their shared vision to accelerate the sport’s global growth through strategic collaboration, innovation, and new market expansion.

The panel featured Luigi Carraro (President of FIP), David Sugden (CEO of Premier Padel), and Sergio Lewin (COO and Sporting Managing Director at Hexagon Cup), moderated by Robyn Duda, Co-Founder of RacquetX.

A Strategic Alliance to Elevate Padel Worldwide

A central focus of the session was the recently announced strategic partnership between Premier Padel, Hexagon Cup, and FIP. The collaboration aims to bring the best teams, events, and ideas together to expand the sport into new markets and engage new audiences.

David Sugden explained the importance of this alliance:

“We’re bringing the best teams together to make padel grow—with new ideas, new markets, and a shared commitment to expanding the sport’s global appeal.”

Sergio Lewin echoed this sentiment, noting the power of unity:

“The beauty of this partnership is that the main players in the ecosystem are working together, not against each other. That’s how we’ll grow padel into a truly global sport.”

The Intercontinental Cup: A New Era of Global Competition

FIP President Luigi Carraro unveiled exciting details about the upcoming Intercontinental Cup—an ambitious team-based competition set to become one of the sport’s flagship events.
“This year, the ICC will be the most important event of the calendar—Americas vs. Europe. It’s a thrilling new format that we believe fans will love,” Carraro said.

Building Momentum in the U.S.

Premier Padel’s recent debut in the U.S., with the motorola razr Miami Premier Padel P1, has already made waves. Florida—known as the most padel-passionate state in the U.S.—offered the perfect backdrop.

“It had to be Florida,” Sugden said. “The state brings together sport, culture, and entertainment. Every year these stands will get fuller, coming to America is a huge part of our strategy.”

Looking ahead, the collaboration with FIFA and other global organizations is expected to open even more doors for padel in the U.S. and beyond.

Hexagon’s Celebrity-Powered Expansion

The Hexagon Cup’s franchise model, where each team is led by a celebrity, has seen tremendous success. Lewin credited this growth to genuine celebrity engagement:

“Our model brings celebrities closer to padel. They’re not just marketing faces—they’re involved, invested, and passionate about growing the sport.”

Carraro praised Hexagon’s impact:

“It was fantastic to see how much the team owners cared. They were there cheering, deeply involved, as if it was their own project.”

Olympic Dreams and Next Steps

As padel continues its meteoric rise, attention now turns to the Olympic Games. Despite not being included in Paris 2024, hopes are high for future inclusion.
Carraro remarked:
“Everyone in Paris was asking us, ‘Why is padel not here?’ We’re confident we’ll get there. We meet all the requirements and have made great progress. We’re ready.”

The Power of Celebrity and Global Influence

The panel agreed that star power is helping catapult padel into the mainstream, particularly in celebrity-driven markets like the U.S. Sugden highlighted a recent moment when Cristiano Ronaldo broadcasted the Riyadh Premier Padel P1.

“That level of exposure is invaluable. It’s how we connect with audiences worldwide and bring them into the world of padel.”

The session at RacquetX underscored a unified and ambitious path forward for padel—a sport on the cusp of becoming a global phenomenon. With visionary leadership, strategic alliances, and ever-growing fan engagement, Premier Padel, FIP, and Hexagon are poised to shape the future of padel for years to come.