The race to the 2026 FIP World Cup has arrived in Madrid, where national teams are competing for four coveted spots in the final tournament scheduled for November in Qatar. This European qualifying event is a critical milestone in the "Road to Doha," narrowing the field of contenders before the final qualification stage takes place in Kuwait.
Tournament Structure and Qualification Path
The Madrid tournament, hosted at the Padel G24 club from September 22 to 26, features 27 men’s teams and 20 women’s teams. The competition follows a group-stage format, with winners advancing to a knockout phase to determine the final two qualifiers for each gender. Following the conclusion of the European stage, the final two spots—one for men and one for women—will be decided at the FIP World Cup Qualifiers Asia-Africa in Kuwait, running from October 26 to 30.
The 2026 FIP World Cup will feature 16 teams in both the men’s and women’s draws. Ten spots were pre-allocated based on the 2024 World Padel Championship standings and the host nation, Qatar. Previous qualifiers in Toronto and Asunción have already confirmed the participation of teams including the USA, Mexico, Paraguay, and Chile.
The groups for the Madrid qualifiers are organized as follows:
- Men’s Groups: The 27 teams are split into eight groups: Group A (Netherlands, Estonia, Azerbaijan), Group B (Germany, Lithuania, Georgia), Group C (Great Britain, Moldova, Austria), Group D (Bulgaria, Norway, Finland), Group E (Belgium, Slovakia, Türkiye), Group F (Romania, Ukraine, Greece, Czech Republic), Group G (Cyprus, Denmark, Croatia, Serbia), and Group H (Ireland, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland).
- Women’s Groups: The 20 teams are divided into six groups: Group A (Great Britain, Serbia, Norway), Group B (Germany, Türkiye, Hungary), Group C (Denmark, Austria, Czech Republic), Group D (Lithuania, Poland, Switzerland), Group E (Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia), and Group F (Slovenia, Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria).
In the women's competition, the winners of Groups A and B—the top-seeded groups—receive a bye, allowing them to bypass the initial knockout round. All other group winners must navigate the knockout bracket to secure their ticket to Doha.
As of the start of the Madrid event, the following nations have already secured their place in the 2026 World Cup:
- Men’s Qualified Teams: Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Italy, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, France, Chile, Sweden, USA, Mexico, Paraguay, and Qatar.
- Women’s Qualified Teams: Spain, Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Brazil, Belgium, USA, Paraguay, Chile, and Qatar.
