As one of the fastest-growing sports globally, Padel is experiencing unprecedented growth across Mediterranean countries. This momentum has contributed to the sport’s inclusion in the core programme of the XX Mediterranean Games, to be held between 21 August and 3 September in Taranto, Italy.

With Padel now set to make its official debut as a medal sport in the Mediterranean Games programme, the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) and the International Padel Federation (FIP) are working together to ensure the successful integration and promotion of the sport at the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 across the men’s, women’s and mixed competitions.

As of today, registrations included 136 total participants from 19 Mediterranean national federations, reflecting the strong interest generated by Padel’s debut at the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026. The competition has also been included in the FIP official professional calendar in order to encourage participation from elite athletes.

The delegations represented in the Padel competition at the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 are Albania, Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Libya, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Türkiye, and Athletica Vaticana as a guest.

This widespread participation reflects the growing competitive interest in Padel across the Mediterranean region and further highlights the significance of the sport’s historic debut at the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026.

The Padel tournament at the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 will take place from 22 to 28 August at the Salinella Mediterranean Park in Taranto, a newly built permanent facility dedicated to the development of the sport. The venue will be shared with the Skateboarding competitions and will also host the Games’ tennis training courts, reflecting the integrated multi-sport nature of the Mediterranean Games.

The inclusion of Padel in the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 represents more than a sporting milestone. Following its inclusion in a growing number of Olympic-recognised continental multi-sport events across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, Padel continues to strengthen its position within the international sporting landscape. Its debut at the Mediterranean Games represents another important step in the sport’s Olympic pathway, reflecting its continued growth, institutional development and expanding global reach.

Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation, said: “The debut of Padel at the 2026 Mediterranean Games marks another historic milestone for our sport and a further recognition of its international growth. While Padel has expanded globally at an unprecedented pace, in recent years it has also been included in the programme of the most important multi-sport events recognised by the Olympic Movement: from the Asian Games to the European Games, as well as the South American Games and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, standing out for its quality, its respect for the principles of Olympism, and the interest it generates among fans. Being included among the official sports of the Mediterranean Games confirms the growing importance of Padel and reinforces the path that the International Padel Federation is pursuing together with the National Federations for the future of our sport.”

Iakovos Filippousis, Secretary General of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games noticed: “The inclusion of padel in the official sports programme of the XX Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 represents much more than the addition of a new discipline. It is part of our broader vision to continuously modernize and upgrade the Mediterranean Games by embracing sports that resonate with younger generations, promote sustainability, and offer exciting, high-quality content for global television audiences. Padel perfectly reflects these objectives while embodying the core values of the Mediterranean Movement—friendship, inclusion, accessibility, and excellence. We are proud to welcome this dynamic sport to the Mediterranean Games family and to offer its athletes the opportunity to compete for medals for the very first time.”

Carlo Molfetta, Director General of the Organising Committee of the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 said: “The inclusion of Padel in the Mediterranean Games programme marks a historic milestone for the sport and a source of great pride for Taranto 2026. From the very beginning, we believed in the value of this discipline and worked to ensure that its debut would take place within an organizational framework of the highest standard. We are confident that athletes, federations, and fans will witness a spectacular competition, one that will leave a lasting legacy for the future of Padel and for the entire Mediterranean sporting movement.”