Americas vs Europe Ryder Cup of padel to launch in 2025
A padel version of the Ryder Cup will get underway in 2025 as the rapidly growing sport looks to make the most of its newfound popularity.
The International Padel Federation (FIP) will offer £580,000 in prize money, split equally across men’s and women’s competitions, in a new biennial Inter-Continental Cup competition mimicking golf’s Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, and the Laver Cup of tennis.
It comes as the sport pushes for Olympic inclusion from the 2032 Games, which are set to be held in Brisbane.
The as yet unnamed tournament will see Europeans take on players from the Americas and venues will rotate between the land masses of the two participating teams.
Tenders for locations, branding, promoters and partnerships starting shortly, the FIP says.
Incredible padel opportunity
“The new inter-continental cup competition responds to the incredible worldwide popularity of padel and an unprecedented demand for new competition formats from both established and emerging fanbases, players and partners,” FIP president Luigi Carraro said.
“The overwhelming success of the World Championships 2024 and the Premier Padel professional tour demonstrate how padel has rapidly become a major international sport and innovations such as the new inter-continental competition are key to continually driving the development of padel – especially in new regions of the world.
“We cannot wait to realise this competition next year, and already know of enormous demand to host and partner in padel’s equivalent of the Laver and Ryder Cup, which will continue the globalisation of padel as we aspire to form part of the Olympic Movement as soon as possible.”
Though the idea will mimic the Ryder Cup and Laver Cup, the golf and tennis competitions are different; with the Ryder Cup just for European players versus Americans and the Laver Cup being Europe versus the rest of world.
The competition will be in place for the 2025 season.