Tournament grade
Tournament grade is the official tier of a sanctioned padel tournament. Higher grades award more ranking points and apply stricter entry criteria. The FIP runs the top global ladder through Premier Padel and the CUPRA FIP Tour, while LTA Padel grades UK events for domestic ranking points.
What is a tournament grade?
A tournament grade is the official level assigned to a sanctioned padel event by a governing body. The grade determines how many ranking points winners earn, who is eligible to enter, and how the draw is seeded. Both the FIP and LTA Padel publish grade tables for their tours.
When does tournament grade matter?
Grade matters whenever you enter a sanctioned event. UK FIP Grade 1 and Grade 2 tournaments filter entries using FIP world rankings first, then LTA Padel rankings. Lower grades have softer cut-offs and suit improvers, while top grades reward elite players with bigger draws and more points.
How FIP and LTA grades compare
FIP grades the global calendar across Qatar Airways Premier Padel categories (Major, P1, P2, Finals) and CUPRA FIP Tour categories (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze). LTA Padel uses its own UK grade ladder, with FIP Grade 1 and 2 sitting at the top of the British circuit and feeding into national rankings.
Quick reference: FIP top tiers run Major, P1, P2, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze. LTA Padel top tiers in the UK are FIP Grade 1 and FIP Grade 2.
Common misconceptions
Players often assume every sanctioned event uses the same ranking system. It does not. The 2026 FIP Ranking counts your 22 best results from Premier Padel and the CUPRA FIP Tour combined, while LTA Padel rankings track UK events separately. Both ladders matter for British entries.
