Milestone moment in sport as Padel set for Asian Games debut: International Padel Federation officially recognised by Olympic Council of Asia

International Padel Federation (FIP) and its continental body, Padel Asia, have today announced a historic step in the sport’s global development: Padel has been officially recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and will be included as an official sport on the programme of the upcoming editions of the Asian Games.

The Council noted that this recognition, along with the strong alliance with FIP and Padel Asia, will further support the growth of Padel globally—and particularly across Asia—through its formal inclusion in future Asian Games.

Following Padel’s recent inclusions in the European Games 2023 (organised by the European Olympic Committees – EOC); the South American Games 2022 (organised by the Organización Deportiva Suramericana – ODESUR); and the upcoming Mediterranean Games 2026, the OCA’s recognition marks another significant step forward on Padel’s Olympic pathway.

Padel has experienced remarkable growth in Asia, with now over 4,600 courts across 1,700 clubs in more than 30 countries. The establishment of Padel Asia, the continental umbrella organization for all FIP-affiliated national federations, has strengthened governance and accelerated the development of the sport.

 Asia has recently hosted numerous high-profile Padel events, including the FIP Asia Padel Cup, FIP World Cups in Doha (2021, 2024) and Dubai (2022), as well as 24 Cupra FIP Tour tournaments, 3 Premier Padel events, and 8 FIP Promises junior tournaments in 2024 alone. Today, FIP represents nearly 100 national federations worldwide, with over 35 million players across three-quarters of UN member countries and more than 80,000 courts globally.

The announcement coincided with the inaugural FIP World Cup Pairs, which was held last week in Kuwait, home of the OCA Headquarters. During the event, President Carraro had the opportunity to meet with Hon. Dr. Husain A. H. Z. Al-Musallam, OCA Director General & Technical Director, at the OCA Headquarters in Kuwait City to discuss the ongoing development of the partnership between the two organisations.