Premier Padel will bring its flagship international tour to the UK for the first time in summer 2026, following the announcement of a multi-year strategic partnership with Sela. The landmark move will see London host a P1-level professional padel tournament, placing Britain on the official calendar of the world’s fastest-growing racket sport and underlining the capital’s status as a global stage for elite competition. Organisers view the debut as a turning point for padel in the UK, where participation, infrastructure and commercial interest have accelerated sharply over the past three years, transforming the sport from a niche activity into a mainstream urban phenomenon, the The WP Times editorial reports.
The event, officially titled Premier Padel P1 London, will take place from 3 to 9 August 2026. It will be staged as a P1 tournament, the second-highest category on the Premier Padel circuit, just below the four annual Majors. The venue has not yet been confirmed and is expected to be announced in early 2026. London’s recently redeveloped Olympia complex is among the locations being considered.
For the first time, Britain will welcome the world’s elite men’s and women’s padel players competing professionally on home soil. Organisers say the choice of London reflects both the city’s global sporting profile and the sport’s accelerating popularity across the UK.
Padel is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in Britain, with more than 400,000 amateur players and over 1,000 courts nationwide. Industry figures see the London tournament as a strategic move by Premier Padel to establish a long-term presence in a high-growth market with strong commercial potential.
The tournament will be delivered jointly by Premier Padel and Sela, with the support of the Lawn Tennis Association(LTA), which acts as the national governing body for padel in Great Britain. The LTA’s involvement will focus on integrating the elite event into its broader strategy to grow participation and talent pathways across the country.
David Sugden, chief executive of Premier Padel, said bringing the tour to London underlines the UK’s importance in the sport’s global development. He described the capital as offering “a world-class venue, a passionate fanbase and strong sporting commercial strength,” adding that the event will showcase padel’s momentum to British audiences.
Luigi Carraro, president of the International Padel Federation, said London’s status as a global sports capital made it a natural choice, highlighting the combination of local fan interest, institutional support and international visibility.
Sela International chief executive Stewart Hosford said the London P1 event would set “a new benchmark for padel in the UK,” pointing to the long-term nature of the partnership and the opportunity to build a landmark annual fixture.
LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd added that hosting an elite-level tournament in Britain would help strengthen the sport “from grassroots participation to professional players,” and inspire new audiences to try padel. Fans can register their interest for early ticket access and event updates via Premier Padel’s official announcements page.
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