When people ask me how to “read” the pro padel circuit, I always start with the same idea: learn the ranking logic. At 4on, we obsess over performance—not just what happens on court, but the incentives that shape player decisions across the season.
The FIP Ranking (the official global ranking by the International Padel Federation) is that logic: it’s how consistency, peak results, and event difficulty are translated into points.
🎯 What Is the FIP Ranking?
The Federación Internacional de Pádel (FIP) ranking is the official global system that determines who the best players in the world are. It’s updated weekly and includes performances from all sanctioned FIP and Premier Padel events.
The Two Lenses: Ranking vs. Race (and Why They Matter)
The FIP publishes two related views:
- FIP Ranking (52-week rolling): it reflects a player’s form over the last year, with points expiring after 52 weeks. If you earned points at last year’s Major, you must defend them when that Major comes around again—otherwise your total drops. Padel FIP
- FIP Race (season-only): it shows who’s leading this year specifically. In 2025, the Race counts each player’s best 22 results across Qatar Airways Premier Padel and CUPRA FIP Tour events. This snapshot is great to understand momentum as a season unfolds. Padel FIP
Both views include Premier Padel events (the sport’s top-tier tour) and the CUPRA FIP Tour (the developmental/progression circuit). Knowing where an event sits in the hierarchy tells you how many points are available—and why some weeks feel like mini-grand slams while others are ladders for rising talent.
📊 2025 Points: What Changed, What Didn’t
For 2025, FIP and Premier Padel adjusted some values and formats. The headline changes:
- P2 tournaments now award 600 points to the champions (up from previous seasons).
- Majors and P1 kept the overall balance at the top of the pyramid.
- The CUPRA FIP Tour was restructured into Bronze / Silver / Gold / Platinum, with Platinum winners earning 300 points, Gold winners 150, and CUPRA FIP Finals winners 225.
- More points are now allocated to qualification rounds in P1 and P2, rewarding players who grind through qualies.
For a quick rule of thumb on winners’ points in the Premier Padel tiers:
P2: 600 points (since 2025).
This mirrors the sport’s competitive ladder: Majors are the summit, P1 the elite backbone of the tour, and P2 the high-level battleground feeding the top. (Major/P1 baselines corroborated by recent tour explainers.)
🔄 Rolling 12-Month System
Rankings are based on a rolling 12-month period. This means last year’s results expire as new ones are added. Players must defend past points — or risk dropping in the rankings.
Draw Sizes & Access: Who Gets In (and Why Seeding is Gold)
FIP also standardized draw sizes for 2025, which matters for entry cutoffs, seeding, and path difficulty:
- Majors: Men 48 pairs (Main Draw), Women 40.
- P1: Men 40, Women 28.
- P2: Men 28, Women 24.
Qualifying draws vary by tier and gender. The bigger the draw, the more matches and upset risk, and the more valuable a seeded path becomes. Seeds are entirely driven by ranking. If your ranking slips, your early rounds get harder—simple as that.
🧴 Performance Tip from 4on
Just like ranking points, small margins matter in padel. A few lost points can drop you down the ranking — just like a single slip in grip can cost you a match. That’s why pros pay attention to details like grip sprays, grips, and performance gear.
👉 Explore how 4on products help you maximize control.
Draw Sizes & Access: Who Gets In (and Why Seeding is Gold)
FIP also standardized draw sizes for 2025, which matters for entry cutoffs, seeding, and path difficulty:
- Majors: Men 48 pairs (Main Draw), Women 40.
- P1: Men 40, Women 28.
- P2: Men 28, Women 24.
Qualifying draws vary by tier and gender. The bigger the draw, the more matches and upset risk, and the more valuable a seeded path becomes. Seeds are entirely driven by ranking. If your ranking slips, your early rounds get harder—simple as that.
Practical Takeaways for Competitive Players (and Serious Fans)
- Target tiers strategically. If you’re on the cusp of Premier Padel main draws, leverage FIP Platinum/Gold to build ranking and confidence—those points matter more than ever in 2025.
- Mind the calendar. Circle your defense weeks and plan peaking cycles accordingly. There’s no worse feeling than dropping points you could have protected.
- Seeding is leverage. A seeded path can be worth hundreds of points across a season. The ranking isn’t just a number—it’s a draw advantage.
- Consistency > one-off spikes. The Race counts your best 22 results. Spread performance across the year and avoid early exits
📌 Why We Care (and What We Use on Court)
At 4on, we translate ranking logic into on-court choices. Margins are tiny; if a point here or there changes your seeding, then micro-control in key moments matters. One example is grip management: late in a deciding set, humidity and fatigue magnify errors. That’s why I carry 4on’s grip-enhancing spray—to keep volleys clean and smashes secure when it counts most.
The FIP Ranking is fair and meritocratic, but it rewards the prepared—those who plan their year, defend smart, and show up sharp. Now that you understand the structure, you’ll watch matches with a different eye: every round, every break point, every tiebreak has ranking weight behind it.
