Padel scoring explained

Padel scoring uses the tennis-style 15-30-40 point count, with the first pair to six games winning a set (two-game lead, tiebreak at six-all) and the first pair to two sets winning the match. From 2026 the FIP recognises three deuce options - Classic Advantage, Star Point and Golden Point - with Premier Padel using the Star Point as its default.

This is the Padeli editorial walkthrough of padel scoring under the FIP 2026 rulebook, written for UK and English-speaking club players. If a rule is contested, the FIP text is the primary source.

The basic point structure (15-30-40-game)

Points run 15, 30, 40 and then game. The first pair to four points wins the game, with the proviso that the deuce sequence applies if both pairs reach 40-40. The structure is identical to the tennis point count.

The “15-30-40” sequence is older than tennis and most likely comes from the 60-minute medieval clock face used to track game scores. The origin is debated, but the 15-minute quarter explanation is the most widely accepted.

A game won at four points without reaching deuce is described as a “love game” if the losing pair takes none of those points, or as a 40-15 or 40-30 game if they take one or two. Deuce only applies when both pairs reach three points each.

From games to sets to match

The first pair to win six games with a two-game lead wins the set. If the score reaches 5-5 the set is played out to 7-5 or 8-6, and at 6-6 a tiebreak settles the set. This is set out in FIP 2026 Rule 1.

The first pair to win two sets wins the match. Standard sanctioned padel is best of three sets, the same as women’s tennis and the early rounds of Premier Padel.

Some formats replace the deciding set with a 10-point match tiebreak to keep the match under 90 minutes, especially at amateur tournaments and on TV-friendly tour stops. A 10-point match tiebreak is played to 10 points with a two-point margin.

The pre-match warm-up of three minutes is set out in FIP 2026 Rule 2.2, and the standard in-match timings are 20 seconds between points, 90 seconds at changeovers and 120 seconds between sets.

The tiebreak explained

A tiebreak is played at six-all to decide the set. The first pair to seven points with a two-point margin wins the tiebreak and the set. There is no upper cap, so a close tiebreak can run to 10-8 or 12-10.

The serve order in a tiebreak is the tricky part. The player due to serve next opens with one point on the deuce-court side, then service alternates between pairs every two points, with each new server starting on the advantage side. Players change ends every six points.

The 10-point match tiebreak replaces a third set in some formats. It runs to 10 points with a two-point margin, otherwise it uses the same serve and end-change pattern as the standard tiebreak.

Confirm with your opponents before the warm-up whether you are playing a third set or a 10-point match tiebreak. Club leagues vary on this and the format is not always printed on the bracket.

The three FIP 2026 deuce options

FIP 2026 Rule 1 recognises three deuce options. The tournament organiser chooses which option applies before the event starts, and the same option runs throughout that competition.

Option 1 - Classic Advantage. The traditional tennis-style deuce. From 40-40 you play for advantage. Win the next point for advantage; win two points in a row from 40-40 to take the game. There is no cap on the number of times the game can return to deuce.

Option 2 - Star Point (new in FIP 2026). From the first deuce the game allows a maximum of two advantages before a single decisive Star Point. The sequence runs deuce 1 - advantage 1 - deuce 2 - advantage 2 - deuce 3 - Star Point.

On the Star Point itself, the receiving pair chooses which side will receive. Players cannot swap positions within the pair. Star Point is the default for Premier Padel, the CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and FIP Beyond from 2026, confirmed in the FIP Star Point announcement of 18 December 2025.

Option 3 - Golden Point. A single decisive point at the first deuce. The receiving pair chooses the side. Golden Point remains a FIP-recognised option in 2026 and is still common at club, league and amateur tournament level across the UK and Europe.

Option	What happens at 40-40	Where you see it
Classic Advantage	Win two points in a row from deuce. No cap on returns to deuce.	Recreational and club play; some amateur leagues.
Star Point (new 2026)	Max two advantages, then a single decisive Star Point. Receiver chooses side.	Premier Padel, CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises, FIP Beyond from 2026.
Golden Point	Single decisive point at first deuce. Receiver chooses side.	Club, league and amateur tournaments across the UK and Europe.

Star Point debuts on the CUPRA FIP Tour at FIP Bronze Melbourne from 5 to 11 January 2026, and on Premier Padel at Riyadh P1 from 9 to 14 February 2026. Both events are the first sanctioned competitions to run the new format.

Mixed-doubles decisive point rule

On the decisive point of either the Star Point or the Golden Point in mixed doubles, the receiver must be the same sex as the server. This is set out in FIP 2026 Rule 1 Options 2.2 and 3.3.

The receiving pair cannot swap positions to dodge the matchup, so the pairing on the decisive point is determined by the server’s sex. The rule applies only on the Star Point or Golden Point, not on every deuce in Classic Advantage.

How long does a padel match last?

A standard best-of-three padel match runs 60 to 90 minutes. A quick straight-sets match closes inside 50 minutes; a three-set thriller can stretch past two hours, especially under Classic Advantage where games can return to deuce repeatedly.

Part of the design intent behind the 2026 Star Point is to cap matches at around 90 minutes for broadcast. Capping the deuce sequence removes the tail risk of a single game running to ten or more advantages, which is part of why Premier Padel adopted it.

For club bookings the practical guide is to book 90 minutes for a competitive match and 60 minutes for a casual hit. The 10-point match tiebreak replacing a deciding set is the other lever clubs use to keep court turnover predictable.

Americano and Mexicano scoring (social formats)

Americano is the most common social padel format at UK clubs. Scores are individual, not team. Every rally adds one point to each player on the winning side. After a fixed time block - usually 21 to 32 minutes - players rotate to a new partner and a new opponent pair.

The final ranking is by total individual points across the session. Each player tracks their own total. The format is designed to mix players up across the session so you play with and against most of the group at least once.

Mexicano is the higher-skill version. Each new round is paired by the current leaderboard, so similar-scoring players meet round by round. The top two play the next two, then the next four, and so on. The result is closer matches as the session goes on.

Both formats use the standard 15-30-40 game scoring for the rallies inside each round, with a Golden Point at deuce to keep rounds on the clock. Most apps that run Americano and Mexicano leagues default to this setting.

Common scoring confusions

The three deuce options are the single biggest confusion for new players. The Star Point and Golden Point are different rules with similar names - Star Point allows up to two advantages first, Golden Point is decided on the first deuce.

The receiver-chooses-side rule on the decisive point is often forgotten. On Star Point or Golden Point the receiving pair picks the side, and neither pair can swap positions for that point. The serving pair has no say.

Tiebreak serve order trips most club players up at least once. One point to start, then two points each alternating, with each new server beginning on the advantage side. Change ends every six points.

Always confirm with your opponents before the warm-up which deuce option applies and whether the third set is a full set or a 10-point match tiebreak. Five seconds of clarification saves a debate at 6-6.

Frequently Asked Questions

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