The European qualifiers for the 2026 Padel World Cup began in Madrid on Tuesday, 22 September, with four places available for the finals in Doha from 2 to 7 November. Pádel G24 is hosting 27 men’s national teams and 20 women’s teams until 26 September. The FIP scheduled 19 group-stage ties on the opening day, with the knockout phase starting on Friday, 25 September.
47 teams start in Madrid, down from 55 announced in August
The FIP’s competition launch article lists 47 national teams. On 7 August, the international federation had announced 55 teams from 29 countries. The release published at the start of the event does not explain the difference.
In the men’s competition, the eight group winners will advance to the knockout draw. Group A contains the Netherlands, Estonia and Azerbaijan, Group B Germany, Lithuania and Georgia, Group C Great Britain, Moldova and Austria, and Group D Bulgaria, Norway and Finland.
Belgium is in Group E with Slovakia and Türkiye. Groups F, G and H feature Romania, Ukraine, Greece and Czechia, then Cyprus, Denmark, Croatia and Serbia, and finally Ireland, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland. Actu Padel has a separate article on the Belgium-Türkiye tie.
Belgian international Maxime Deloyer explains on his personal website what representing his country means to him:
“I have had the chance to represent my country on several occasions.”
Six women’s groups, with byes for the top seeds
The women’s draw has 20 teams across six groups. Great Britain, Serbia and Norway are in Group A, while Germany, Türkiye and Hungary make up Group B. Groups C to F contain Denmark, Austria and Czechia, then Lithuania, Poland and Switzerland, then Georgia, Ukraine, Romania and Croatia, and finally Slovenia, Greece, Ireland and Bulgaria.
Each group winner advances. The winners of Groups A and B receive a bye in the first knockout round and move directly to the next round. Two European women’s teams will qualify for Doha from this draw.
Doha from 2 to 7 November, Kuwait for the final two places
The finals of the 2026 Padel World Cup will be held in Doha, Qatar, from 2 to 7 November. The event will feature 16 men’s and 16 women’s national teams. Thirteen teams in each category are already qualified after the Toronto and Asunción qualifiers.
Toronto produced qualification for Mexico in the men’s competition and the United States in both draws. In Asunción, Paraguay qualified in both categories, while Chile secured the second South American women’s place.
The European qualifiers will send two men’s teams and two women’s teams to Doha. The final place in each draw will be awarded at the Asia-Africa qualifiers in Kuwait from 26 to 30 October. Official schedules, groups, results and streams are available on the FIP event page.
