Archive note: this article was originally published in September 2023 when the agreement to bring World Padel Tour and Premier Padel together was announced. The unified Premier Padel tour subsequently began in 2024.
In 2023, Qatar Sports Investments announced an agreement that would bring World Padel Tour and Premier Padel together under one professional tour.
At the time, this was a major moment for the sport because professional padel had been split across competing structures.
A New Era for Professional Padel
The agreement set the stage for Premier Padel to become the unified global professional tour under the governance of the International Padel Federation.
The transition was significant for players, organisers, broadcasters and fans because it created a clearer professional structure after a period of competing tours.
World Padel Tour's Role
World Padel Tour had played a major role in developing professional padel over the previous decade, taking tournaments to multiple countries and building a substantial broadcast and social audience.
Its legacy forms an important part of the modern professional game's history.
The Rise of Premier Padel
Premier Padel launched in 2022 and quickly established major international tournaments and broadcast agreements.
The 2023 agreement accelerated the move towards one recognised global tour.
What the Merger Meant
For the sport, the most important outcome was greater clarity. Instead of elite players, sponsors and audiences being divided across competing tours, professional padel could develop within a more unified structure.
For current professional-tour information, visit Premier Padel or the International Padel Federation.
For current news and insights from The Padel School, visit our Blog.
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