Women’s padel at the UN: The Platform That Matters
Women’s padel enjoyed an unusual showcase in Geneva. Not on a center court, not amid the excitement of a final, but within the UN compound, during an event dedicated to women and girls in sports. According to the FIP, this high-level event took place during the 62nd Session of the Human Rights Council, in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments, the Qatar Foundation, and the Permanent Mission of Qatar in Geneva.
For padel, the significance lies beyond the protocol itself: it stems from the prominence given to the female players. Qatar Sports Investments, Premier Padel, the FIP, andthe IPPA used this international stage to discuss participation, visibility, safety, and leadership. Specifically, why does Qatar Sports Investments matter here? Because Nasser Al-Khelaïfi also heads Premier Padel, the tour that currently provides the international platform for the best female players. And who spoke on behalf of the athletes? Maria Teixidor, executive director of the IPPA, represented the professional players—a sign that their voices are becoming a central focus in the development of the tour.
Professionalize, not just exhibit
The message conveyed in Geneva goes beyond just a nice group photo. Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president of Qatar Sports Investments and Premier Padel, emphasized the progress of women’s sports, while noting that the economic independence of women’s padel remains a work in progress. This is precisely the sticking point: to grow, women’s padel cannot merely expand its audience; it must also strengthen its revenue streams, working conditions, and decision-making power.
In this court, tangible progress has been made. The FIP highlights equal prize money in approximately 90% of Premier Padel tournaments, the CUPRA FIP Tour, and the FIP World Cups, as well as access to the same major venues, the same medical facilities, and the same player services as men. The recent agreement with WHOOP is also part of this effort: to better support athletes’ performance, retrieval, and monitoring. Against this backdrop, the Geneva meeting also highlighted a key sporting challenge: developing pathways better suited to women, from injury prevention to supporting young female players.
This trend toward professionalization is already evident in the sport’s rankings. To find out who currently exercises dominance over the circuit, the women’s FIP rankings remains the best indicator: it shows established pairs, up-and-coming young players, and a rapidly shifting balance of power. The topic therefore directly impacts competitiveness, preparation, and the length of careers.
A message for the players and the audience
The photo exhibition held at the Palais des Nations, featuring professional players from Premier Padel, carried strong symbolic significance. It serves as a reminder that athletes are not merely figureheads: they embody the spectacle, the stories, the rivalries, and the high standards of the circuit.
The schedule reinforces this interpretation. With a 2026 global season—which we watch in our feature on the 2026 Premier Padel Calendar, players are now competing on stages comparable to those of the men: Roland-Garros, Foro Italico, major P1, P2, and Major tournaments. The announcement of an international award dedicated to women and girls in sports—supported notably by Qatar Sports Investments—further reinforces this trend. The next step will be to transform this initiative into a sustainable model capable of attracting sponsors, media, and new players.
To remember
- Qatar Sports Investments, Premier Padel, the FIP, and the IPPA have put women’s padel at the center of an international event in Geneva.
- The issue goes beyond visibility: it also involves funding, infrastructure, health, retrieval, and the players’ voices.
- The event highlighted the importance of sports programs designed specifically for women: prevention, coaching, medical monitoring, and support.
- Professionalization is making progress, but the economic stability of the women’s tour remains a major challenge.
