Padel will continue expanding its presence on the international multi-sport calendar with another historic milestone: its official debut as a medal sport at the XX Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026, which will take place in Italy from August 21 to September 3.
The padel competition will be held from August 22 to 28 at the Salinella Mediterranean Park in Taranto, a new permanent venue built to support the development of the sport. The facility will also host the skateboarding competitions and the tennis training courts for the Games.
A historic debut with broad international participation
The International Padel Federation (FIP) and the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) are working together to ensure the successful integration of padel into the official programme, which will feature men's, women's and mixed competitions.
To date, the event has attracted 136 athletes representing 18 Mediterranean national federations, highlighting the growing popularity of the sport across the region.
The participating delegations will be Albania, Algeria, Cyprus, Croatia, Egypt, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Morocco, Monaco, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Tunisia and Türkiye, with Athletica Vaticana participating as a guest delegation.
Another milestone on padel's Olympic journey
The inclusion of padel in the Mediterranean Games marks another important step in the sport's international development, following its inclusion in an increasing number of major continental multi-sport events recognised by the Olympic Movement across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation: "Padel's debut at the 2026 Mediterranean Games represents another historic moment for our sport and further recognition of its international growth. While padel has expanded globally at an unprecedented pace, it has also become part of the most important multi-sport events recognised by the Olympic Movement in recent years, including the Asian Games, the European Games, 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 enthusiasm of fans. Becoming an official sport of the Mediterranean Games confirms padel's growing importance and strengthens the path that the International Padel Federation is pursuing together with the national federations for the future of our sport."
Carlo Molfetta, General Director of the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games Organising Committee, described the inclusion of padel as "a historic milestone for the sport" and expressed his confidence that the tournament will leave "a lasting legacy for the future of padel and the entire Mediterranean sporting movement."
Meanwhile, Iakovos Filippousis, Secretary General of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games, highlighted that the addition of padel is part of the organisation's broader strategy to modernise the Games by introducing sports that appeal to younger generations while promoting inclusion, accessibility and excellence.
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