FIP Euro Padel Cup 2025 explainer: How it works, format & teams
New name, new format, new venue - the FIP Euro Padel Cup, which begins in Madrid on 7 July and includes GB men's and women's teams, is the de facto European Padel Championships, with some major changes from previous years.
This year's event has been expanded in order to include emerging European padel nations in the competition, and organised into three phases.
The Phases
Phase 1: from 7-10 July
The first phase sees 22 men's teams and 15 women's teams from lower-ranked countries battle it in Madrid out to secure five (men's) and four (women's) qualifying spots in Phase 2.
Phase 2: 11-13 July
Phase 2 begins immediately afterwards and is when Great Britain's men and women join the action. They will each compete with 15 other nations to secure four qualifying places for the Final 8, which takes place at an as-yet unannounced date and venue later in the year.
Final phase
Lying in wait in the Final 8 in both men's and women's competitions will be the cream of European padel: Spain, Italy, France and Portugal, who have already sealed their places by virtue of being the top four European teams in the world rankings.
Format - Men's
The 22 teams that will contest Phase 1 are: Austria, Finland, Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, San Marino, Norway, Kosovo, Montenegro, Ireland, Georgia, Slovenia, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Czechia, Andorra, Slovakia, Greece, Luxembourg, Moldova, Romania and Cyprus.
They will be drawn into three groups of four teams and two groups of five teams. The five group winners will progress into Phase 2.
Phase 2 in the men's competition will be 16 teams (four groups of four). The teams awaiting the five Phase 1 winners are: Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Monaco, Switzerland, Hungary and Croatia.
Having finished seventh at last year's European Championships, Great Britain's men are one of the top seeds in Phase 2 and have already been placed in Group C. They are thus guaranteed to avoid fellow top seeds Netherlands, Sweden and Germany in the draw, which will be made following the conclusion of Phase 1 on the evening of 10 July.
The team from the second pot of seeds that they would ideally like to avoid in the draw is Belgium. The other three possibilities are Denmark, Poland and Monaco. GB will also face one of Switzerland, Hungary and Croatia, as well as one of the qualifiers from Phase 1.
The four group winners in Phase 2 will go through to the Final 8 later in the year, where Europe's four big guns - Spain, Italy, Portugal and France - lie in wait.
Format - Women's
The basic format is the same as the men's, but with only 15 nations in Phase 1 jostling for the four qualifying places: Czechia, Norway, Montenegro, Croatia, Austria, Andorra, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine and Cyprus. These will be arranged in one group of three and three groups of four teams.
As with the men's, Great Britain's women join the fray in Phase 2 where there will be four groups of four. But as GB women finished 10th at last year's European Championships, they are among the second batch of seeds in the draw, rather than in the top rung of four.
So, GB will face either of the top seeds; Sweden, Netherlands, Germany or Denmark; then either Estonia, Hungary, Poland or Lithuania, as well as one of the four qualifiers from Phase 1.
Should GB's women claim top place in their group, they will progress to the Final 8 later in the year, where Spain, Italy, France and Portugal will await them.
What is the tie format?
Each tie consists of three matches and all matches will be played even if the third is a dead rubber. Each match consists of best of three sets.
What is the FIP Euro Padel Cup schedule?
Following the conclusion of Phase 1 on Thursday 10 July, the draw for Phase 2 will take place immediately, and play in Phase 2 will begin at 1200 Spanish time the following day.
On Friday 11 and Saturday 12 July, matches are scheduled for 1200 and 1600, with the final round of group matches on Sunday 13 July beginning at 1000.
Where is the FIP Euro Padel Cup held?
Phase 1 and 2 are taking place at Padel G24 in Madrid, a 17-court indoor venue complete with gym, physiotherapy service and restaurant. With temperatures forecast to exceed 30c all week, the action is set to be rapid.
The majority of Great Britain's players are scheduled to arrive four days before Phase 2 begins in order to acclimatise, practise and settle into the venue.
Check out the two GB squads selected by team captains Sandy Farquharson and John Leach (men's team) and Libby Fletcher and Agustin Gomez Silingo (women's).
Find out more about the GB Squads
Follow along with our in-depth coverage of the 2025 FIP Euro Padel Cup, including daily results, reports and player interviews: