On 17 and 18 June, the International Padel Cluster held its 6th General Assembly at the Barceló Hotel in Marbella. The event combined the organisation's statutory meeting with several networking opportunities among the members in attendance.
Two days bringing members together
The event began on Wednesday 17 June with a welcome dinner at Nueva Alcántara Club (NAC), one of our members and the club recognised as the World's Best Club for three consecutive years, which opened its restaurant area so that attendees could meet and chat in a relaxed atmosphere. The following day, after a breakfast-coffee gathering that happily extended beyond 10:00 a.m., the General Assembly brought together 29 people in person, 5 attending online, and 12 proxy votes, a slightly lower turnout than in previous editions—largely due to the change of venue from Madrid to Marbella—but one that left everyone present very satisfied with the experience. Following the close of the Assembly at 2:00 p.m. and an informal buffet lunch at the hotel, many attendees travelled in the afternoon to the Reserve Cup tournament, enjoying an exclusive experience before returning to their respective cities via Málaga Airport.
The Cluster would like to express its sincere gratitude to the NAC team, whose commitment was instrumental to the success of the event. They were responsible for booking and coordinating with the Barceló Hotel, organising premium transfers for attendees using an exclusive fleet of vehicles, and taking care of every last detail of the welcome dinner and catering on 17 June. Everything, from start to finish, was delivered to an excellent standard.
Governance, internationalisation and financial strength: the three pillars
The General Assembly, chaired by Mireia Álvarez and led by General Manager Michel Gogniat, focused on the three pillars of the Cluster's 2026–2028 Strategic Plan: governance and professionalisation, internationalisation, and financial strength. Alex Pardo, Second Vice-President and Treasurer, presented the Cluster's financial position and the updated budget for 2026, while Eduardo Castaño (Altalex), the Cluster's legal advisor, presented the statutory amendments required to support this new phase. The stated objective for the 2026–2028 period is ambitious: to increase the Cluster's revenue by 2.6 times, close all three financial years with a positive result, and welcome more than 100 new members.
Padel World Summit results and other developments
Alex Ponseti presented the results of the Padel World Summit 2026, confirming the event's continued growth: 7,208 attendees (a 20% increase compared to 2025), with 50% international participation; 140 exhibitors from 30 countries, occupying 3,840 m² of exhibition space; and 1,175 matchmaking meetings held during the event. The United Kingdom, France and Germany topped the list of participating countries, and the dates for the next edition have already been confirmed: 4–6 May 2027, once again at Hall 4, Gran Via, Fira Barcelona.
The Assembly also served to introduce the new Marketing Working Group, led by Albert Escofet, which will act as the driving force behind the Cluster's communication strategy and international visibility. Miguel Matia presented the current status of the Clubs and Sports Tourism Working Group, while Jorge Caña updated members on the progress of the ISO 25808 standard for padel facilities, which is advancing according to schedule following the ISO/TC 83 technical committee meeting held in Berlin in June 2026, where the technical direction promoted by Spain through UNE and the Cluster itself was further reinforced.
What this means for the sector
This 6th General Assembly confirms that the Cluster is entering a phase of strategic acceleration, with a clear roadmap through to 2028: stronger internal structures, greater international presence and a more solid financial foundation. The progress made with the Padel World Summit, the future ISO 25808 standard, and the new working groups are concrete signs that the work of structuring the sector, which the Cluster has been driving since its creation, continues to deliver tangible results.
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