20 October becomes official World Padel Day as the FIP renews its push for Brisbane 2032

Padel has an official day. The International Padel Federation (FIP) and Premier Padel announced on 20 October that the date will be recognised as World Padel Day, formalising a celebration the padel community already marked — and the federation used the occasion to renew its call for the sport to join the programme of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

The case for Brisbane

The FIP's argument rests on three points: global participation, gender balance and a flexible event format. "Padel can bring Brisbane 2032 a global community, exciting competition for women and men", said FIP president Luigi Carraro.

The federation's figures, from its World Padel Report 2026, are the core of that case: about 40 million amateur players, padel played in 191 countries and territories across all five continents, women accounting for 47% of participants, and more than 91,000 courts. It also points to 115 national federations, a junior circuit in 36 countries and a professional tour, the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour, broadcast in 244 territories.

A big year for multi-sport Games

Padel's Olympic pathway has accelerated. After its debut at the 2023 European Games, the sport featured in 2026 at the South American Games, the Mediterranean Games and, for the first time, the Asian Games in Nagoya from 28 September to 3 October — following the Olympic Council of Asia's recognition of padel in November 2025, the FIP noted.

The professional game supports the gender-balance argument too: Premier Padel runs men's and women's draws at every event, and this season's women's tour has been one of the most competitive in years, with Triay and Brea challenged week after week by pairs such as Sánchez and Ustero, who won in Milan on Sunday.

What still has to happen

A call is not a decision. Sports on the Olympic programme are chosen by the International Olympic Committee, with host organisers able to propose additional sports for their edition, and no decision on padel at Brisbane 2032 has been announced. The FIP's growing presence at continental Games is designed to strengthen its file, but the timeline and outcome remain open.

The growth figures match what we see at grassroots level, from the UK's padel boom to new clubs across Europe and the US. For the professional game, the season now heads to the Kuwait Major, the World Cup in Doha and the Dubai P1 — see our end-of-season guide. New to the sport? Start with how to start playing padel.