International Padel Federation
The International Padel Federation (FIP) is the world governing body for padel. It sets the rulebook, sanctions the Premier Padel and CUPRA FIP Tour, maintains the official world ranking, and recognises national federations. The FIP was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
What is the FIP?
The International Padel Federation - Federacion Internacional de Padel in Spanish, hence the FIP acronym - is the global governing body for the sport. It sets the official rules, sanctions the major professional tours (Premier Padel and CUPRA FIP Tour), maintains the world ranking, and recognises member national federations across more than 50 countries.
What it controls
The FIP rulebook is the single source of truth for legal play. National federations (LTA Padel in the UK, FFT in France, FEP in Spain, USPA in the US, and so on) implement the rules at country level. Equipment and balls used in sanctioned competition must appear on the FIP approved-equipment lists, which are updated annually.
The 2026 rulebook
The FIP rulebook was last updated in November 2025 (adopted at the FIP General Meeting in Acapulco) and the new edition took effect from 1 January 2026. Two notable changes for 2026: the one-foot serve rule (previously both feet behind the line) and the new Rule 6 point 2 prohibiting the ball from crossing the service line until struck.
Coach tip: If a club rule contradicts the FIP rulebook, the FIP version wins in sanctioned competition. Club-night house rules (mainly around lets, scoring shortcuts and tournament formats) are fine for social play but get put aside the moment a match enters official competition.
Common mistakes
Confusing the FIP with World Padel Tour (the historical commercial promoter, absorbed into Premier Padel by 2024) or with Premier Padel itself (which is FIP-sanctioned but commercially run as a QSI joint venture) is the most common amateur mistake. The FIP is the federation; the tours are the events.
