Padel has officially reached a historic milestone at the XIII South American Games in Santa Fe, Argentina, where the sport is being contested as a medal event for the very first time. Running from September 22 to 25, 2026, in the city of Rafaela, the tournament features 32 elite athletes competing to secure their place in the sport's growing international legacy.
Tournament Format and Structure
The competition follows a rigorous structure designed to determine the inaugural medalists through a group stage followed by a knockout phase. The 16 participating pairs—split evenly between men's and women's brackets—are organized into the following format:
- Group Stage: Both men’s and women’s events are divided into two groups of four pairs each. The teams compete within these groups over the first two days of the event.
- Qualification Criteria: The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stages.
- Semi-Finals: Scheduled for Thursday, September 24, the bracket pits the winner of Group A against the runner-up of Group B, and the winner of Group B against the runner-up of Group A.
- Medal Matches: The final showdowns for the gold medal and the third-place bronze medal match are set for Friday, September 25.
Matches are being hosted at the new Microestadio in Rafaela, and fans can follow the action live via the official Odesur YouTube channel. This event builds upon the momentum established by exhibition matches at the 2022 Asuncion Games and reflects the ongoing efforts of the International Padel Federation (FIP) to align the sport with the values of the Olympic Charter. Following this event, the sport's international expansion continues with upcoming appearances at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh, and the 2027 European Games in Istanbul.
The field of competitors includes national representatives from eight countries, showcasing the depth of talent across South America. The men's draw features pairs from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Ecuador, while the women's draw includes athletes from those same nations, all vying for the honor of being the first to claim a medal in this prestigious multi-sport setting.
