Padel World Cup in Doha: Spain and France name their squads with two places still open
The padel world championship for national teams now has its dates and almost all of its line-up. The FIP World Cup 2026, the International Padel Federation's flagship team event, will be played from 2 to 7 November at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar, with 16 men's and 16 women's teams. Prize money totals €1.2 million, split equally between men and women.
FIP · Instagram
Photo: FIP, from their Instagram post.
Who is heading to Doha
After the European qualifiers in Madrid, held from 22 to 26 September, 15 teams are confirmed in each draw. Germany qualified in both, the Netherlands in the men's event and Great Britain in the women's. Thirteen countries will be in both draws: Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Brazil, France, Chile, Sweden, the United States, Paraguay, hosts Qatar, the Netherlands and Germany. The United Arab Emirates and Mexico complete the men's field for now, with Belgium and Great Britain in the women's. The last two places, one per draw, will be decided at the Asia-Africa qualifiers in Kuwait from 26 to 30 October.
Spain and France name their squads
The Spanish Padel Federation unveiled its 16 players in Madrid on 24 September. Men's coach Juanjo Gutiérrez has picked Arturo Coello, Ale Galán, Juan Lebrón, Paquito Navarro, Mike Yanguas, Jon Sanz, Coki Nieto and Aimar Goñi, the new name. Carolina Navarro has chosen Gemma Triay, Bea González, Ariana Sánchez, Marta Ortega, Claudia Fernández, Paula Josemaría, Andrea Ustero and Martina Calvo.
France followed on 28 September with eight women and eight men. Captains Pablo Ayma and Juan Alday can call on, among others, Bastien Blanqué, Thomas Leygue and Johan Bergeron, plus Alix Collombon and Léa Godallier.
The old rivalry
Spain's women are the defending champions: at the same venue in 2024 they beat Argentina in the final for a sixth world title in a row. On the men's side Argentina hold the crown after beating Spain 2-1 in that final. On paper, the two nations are once again the teams to beat.
Sources: FIP (venue and prize money), Spanish Padel Federation, French Tennis Federation and, for the 2024 final, The Padel Paper.
Photo: Bruno Vaccaro Vercellino via Unsplash, Unsplash License.