Premier Padel 2026 calendar update: Pretoria and Kuwait concerned
The update is targeted, but affects two strategic appointments. According to Premier Padel’s official press release, the Pretoria P2, scheduled from July 27 to August 2, becomes a Premier Padel P1. The Kuwait Premier Padel P1, scheduled from October 26 to 31, is upgraded to Premier Padel Major. The two promotions have only been announced for the 2026 season, in order to limit the impact of the postponement of the Ooredoo Qatar Major Premier Padel and preserve a certain consistency in the distribution of points and prize money.
In concrete terms, Pretoria changes dimension in its first year on the Premier Padel 2026 calendar, while Kuwait takes on a much heavier role in the latter part of the season. Under the usual scale recalled in our Premier Padel 2026 calendar, a Major distributes up to 2,000 points, against 1,000 for a P1 and 600 for a P2. So it’s not just a change of label: two weeks can now carry more weight in the race for seeds, Finals and FIP ranking.
To situate these adjustments, the season has a number of key milestones: the BNL Italy Major from June 1 to 7, the Paris Major from September 7 to 13, and then the end of the year leading up to the Premier Padel Finals in Barcelona, scheduled for December 7 to 13.
More points and prize money for players
The implicit question is simple: what difference do these promotions really make to players? They offer an opportunity to retrieve more points and prize money on two maintained stages, whereas a postponed Major can leave a hole in the construction of a season. For a pair in the top 8, a few hundred points can change a table. For a pair in the hunt, it can become a real window of opportunity.
Premier Padel and the FIP explain that they have worked with the Steering Committees, the consultation groups made up of 20 players from 11 stakeholder groups in the professional ecosystem. David Sugden, CEO of Premier Padel, describes the decisions as being taken “with the players in mind”, with the idea of offering more points and more financial rewards, while limiting the spin of geopolitical events on the tour. Luigi Carraro, President of the FIP, also insists on the stability of the calendar and the worldwide development of professional padel.
The sporting interpretation is quite clear: the circuit doesn’t want a postponed Major to distort the economics of the ranking too much. In a season where every first-round exit, every semifinal and every victory alters the dynamics of a pair, the calendar becomes as much a tool of fairness as a commercial support. However, this development remains exceptional: Pretoria and Kuwait change their status for 2026, without this automatically fixing their category for subsequent seasons.
A signal in an already highly international season
Despite the current climate, Premier Padel is building on its solid popular momentum, with record attendance figures announced for Riyadh Season P1, Gijón P2, Cancún P2, Miami P1, NEWGIZA P2 and Brussels P2. The calendar unveiled at the end of 2025 had already laid the foundations for a global year, with London, Pretoria and Valencia as major new features. Premier Padel also boasts a 2026 season comprising 25 tournaments in 17 countries, with broadcasting announced in over 244 territories.
This is in addition to other fundamental changes, notably the Star Point, designed to provide a better framework for the duration of matches. Between new markets, upgraded categories, adaptation to geopolitical constraints and the search for a better balance for players, Premier Padel continues its worldwide structuring without waiting for the end of the season.
To remember:
- Pretoria goes from P2 to P1 from July 27 to August 2, 2026.
- Kuwait becomes a Major from October 26 to 31, 2026.
- These promotions apply only to the 2026 season.
- The goal is to compensate for the postponement of the Qatar Major in points and prize money.
