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In every sport, the professional circuit plays an important role in bringing it to a wider audience and helping people appreciate it. Padel is no exception, and the World Padel Tour has been one of the driving forces behind the sport’s growth worldwide. But after 10 years of service, it was time to make way for something new.
The history and impact of the World Padel Tour
The history of the global professional padel circuit has never been entirely smooth. In 2005, the Pro Padel Tour was created to ride the growing hype around padel and bring the world’s best players together to compete across the globe. From 2005, brands already on the market began sponsoring the circuit and then its players to raise their profile worldwide. Little by little, the PPT grew, with more and more players joining to compete for the world number one spot.
After a difficult start, the World Padel Tour (WPT) was created in 2013 to replace the Pro Padel Tour. The padel circuit took its model from its older sibling, tennis, and the ATP. By introducing three tournament categories and a ranking based on each player’s performances over the years, the WPT aimed to create, as in tennis, a race up the rankings and towards the Masters Finals, the most prestigious tournament, contested by the year’s eight best pairs.
For 10 years, the WPT was the world’s leading circuit, bringing together the best players on the planet and delivering ever more spectacular tournaments. Others tried to compete with it, notably the American Padel Tour, now called A1 Padel, which focuses on the Americas and has different players and rules. But the WPT was too strong, with tournaments across the globe. After around a decade of dominance, however, certain factors began to work against it...
The consequences of the World Padel Tour’s disappearance
In 2021, the excitement around the circuit and padel’s growing reputation in Europe and worldwide began attracting attention. Qatar Sport Investments (QSI), known for owning PSG, and its president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi then launched their own padel circuit, Premier Padel. Initially set up to complement the WPT, it gradually gained ground before buying the WPT in late 2023 and replacing it as the main circuit from the 2024 season. Several tensions had emerged between the players’ association and WPT officials over player pay and exclusivity clauses. The women players’ association had already made the move to Premier Padel, taking women’s padel into a new era, with the men following soon after.
Faced with QSI’s money and influence, as well as the players’ legitimate demands, the World Padel Tour could not hold out. It leaves behind 10 years of intense development, during which it helped padel grow. Once played only in Spain, padel has become an emerging sport in many European countries. TV coverage, the rise of global stars and the accessibility of WPT footage have contributed greatly to the sport’s development.
The future of padel without the World Padel Tour?
With this takeover, what does the future hold for the circuit, players and tournaments? All tournaments will now be organised by QSI, with 24 taking place throughout the season, and Premier Padel is likely to be the only circuit in 2024. That is a win for players who complained about playing too much, with 24 WPT tournaments on top of the eight Premier Padel events. Organisers will therefore have to make choices about which cities host tournaments, meaning fewer cities will be involved.
What’s more, the circuit has promised increased prize money compared with the WPT, as it had already done at the eight Premier Padel tournaments held in 2023. The aim is to retain players wherever possible and turn them into global stars, as in other sports such as tennis. The unification of the circuits and the support of the FIP (International Padel Federation) also serve a clear goal: to boost the sport’s popularity and perhaps even make it an Olympic sport as early as 2028.
Padel tournaments: what are the alternatives after the World Padel Tour?
Professional padel tournaments will therefore come under new management: some will move, while others will disappear. Premier Padel’s leadership wants to hold more tournaments in emerging padel countries and slightly fewer in Spain, where the sport already has considerable exposure. Making padel popular around the world is the goal, and a high-quality professional circuit is, of course, part of that. For tournaments aimed at lower-ranked players, the FIP remains in charge and will offer the same events as in previous years. Amateur tournaments will not change either, and the levels should not be affected: you can still enjoy your club tournaments, from P25 to P2000!
