The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation will invest €1,001,150 in its PIA Padel 2027 programme, which includes the creation of 40 territorial groups to strengthen cooperation between clubs and improve the identification and development of young talent.
The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP) has announced an investment of €1,001,150 in its 2027 padel development programme. The initiative, known as Piani Integrati d'Area Padel (PIA Padel), aims to strengthen youth development through closer coordination between clubs, padel schools and federation technical structures.
The project предусматриes the creation of 40 territorial groups by 2027, each bringing together at least seven affiliated clubs. The objective is to establish a collaborative network to coordinate talent identification, organise training activities and increase competitive opportunities for developing players.
The programme includes different activities depending on participants' age groups. For children aged eight to ten, it provides for a minimum of nine annual training and talent identification gatherings. Activities are also planned for players aged eleven to fifteen, linked to regional structures.
Young players will be monitored through quarterly updated player lists, allowing their progress to be followed over time while encouraging exchanges, training opportunities and competitive experiences between clubs.
More than €1 million for training and development
The budget allocation shows that the programme is not limited to supporting the development of young talent, but also includes resources for the clubs and structures involved in their training.
The main announced budget items include:
€317,400 in contributions calculated according to the categories of the participating clubs' padel schools.
€100,000 for the development of young players identified as being of national interest.
€150,000 in incentives for training camps, based on criteria including their composition and the players monitored by the national technical department.
The budget also includes funding for territorial training gatherings and the organisation of the PIA Padel Cup Under 10, a competition aimed at the youngest players.
The programme also introduces measures designed to facilitate sporting cooperation between participating clubs. These include free registration for teams involved in certain youth leagues and greater flexibility for temporary player loans. In addition, transfer fees will be waived for players under eighteen moving between clubs within the same regional group, although financial compensation may still apply.
Clubs take on a greater role in the development structure
Another change concerns the selection of regional training centres. Their locations will now be proposed by the clubs themselves, from among those with the most qualified development programmes. The FITP will retain responsibility for validation and technical supervision.
This approach aims to bring decision-making closer to local needs while making better use of the expertise of clubs with more developed training structures and encouraging cooperation across the wider network.
The announcement comes at a time of sporting progress for Italy. At the World Championships in Doha, both the men's and women's national teams reached the semi-finals, further demonstrating the country's competitive development. Several Italian players are also continuing to strengthen their presence on the international circuit.
Through the PIA Padel 2027 programme, the Italian federation is seeking to reinforce the foundations of this progress with a more coordinated system for training and talent identification, placing cooperation between clubs at the centre of its strategy for the next generation of players.
Source: Padel Magazine, Antoine Tricolet, 9 November 2026.
ENGLISH 
ESPAÑOL