Padel continues to strengthen its international positioning with a new strategic milestone: it will be an official medal sport at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) 2026, taking place in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) from December 13 to 21, 2026.
The announcement, made by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), further reinforces padel’s presence within the international multi-sport ecosystem and consolidates its growth across the Asian continent, following its recent inclusion in the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
A further step in global consolidation
Padel will make its official debut at the AIMAG from December 17 to 21, hosted at the Padel Rush Arena in Riyadh, a leading venue that already stages events from the Premier Padel professional circuit.
The competition will feature:
This high-level competitive format reinforces padel’s positioning within major international sporting events.
Institutional recognition and growth in Asia
The inclusion of padel in the AIMAG programme has been recognised as a significant step forward by the International Padel Federation.
According to its president, Luigi Carraro, this milestone represents: “An extremely significant moment in the global development of our sport”
He also highlighted that padel’s presence in such a major multi-sport event:
A sport aligned with Olympic values
Padel’s inclusion in the AIMAG is also aligned with the principles of the Olympic Charter, including:
This reinforces padel’s role as a fast-growing sport with a strong positive impact both on and off the court.
Asia: a key strategic market for padel
Padel’s participation in the AIMAG provides further momentum for its development in Asia, a region that has seen in recent years:
With this milestone, the International Padel Federation continues to advance its global expansion strategy, positioning Asia as one of the key regions for the future growth of the sport.
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