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Doha Says It's Ready for the FIP World Cup as the 32-Team Field Nears Completion
Qatar confirms the courts and schedule are set for the November 2-7 FIP World Cup, with just one men's and one women's spot still to be decided in Kuwait.
2h ago · 2 min read
Doha Says It's Ready for the FIP World Cup as the 32-Team Field Nears Completion
Doha says it's ready. With the FIP World Cup set to open November 2, organizers confirmed this week that the courts, schedule and ticketing for the third edition of the sport's biggest national-team event are all in place, even as the final two places in the 32-team field remain up for grabs.
A field that's almost full
The 2026 FIP World Cup will run from November 2 to 7 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, with 16 men's and 16 women's national teams competing. Fifteen teams in each category have already qualified, including Qatar, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Brazil, France, the Netherlands and Germany on both sides of the draw.
The last two spots, one men's and one women's, go to the winners of the FIP World Cup Qualifiers Asia-Africa, which runs in Kuwait from October 26 to 30. The full bracket can't be set until that event wraps up.
Qatar's pitch as host
This is the third FIP World Cup, after editions in 2021 and 2024, and the first of back-to-back hosting assignments for Qatar, which will also stage the 2028 tournament. Tariq Darwish Zainal, secretary-general of the Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation and the tournament director, said preparations for the event had been completed. He added that Qatar's own national team, ranked among the world's top ten, won gold at this year's Asian Games in Japan and will aim for a strong finish at home.
Saad Al Mohannadi, the federation's executive director, said the courts have been fully customized for the event and that tickets are already available online. He called FIP's decision to award Qatar both the 2026 and 2028 editions a mark of international recognition for the country's organizing experience.
What to watch
Argentina arrives as the men's defending champion and Spain as the women's defending champion from the 2024 edition. Qatar's home team will be chasing a big result in front of its own crowd once the final two qualifiers from Kuwait join the draw.
FAQ
When and where is the 2026 FIP World Cup?
It runs November 2 to 7, 2026 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar.
How many teams are in the field?
32 national teams total, 16 men's and 16 women's. Fifteen teams in each category have already qualified, and the last spot in each draw goes to the winner of the FIP World Cup Qualifiers Asia-Africa in Kuwait, October 26-30.
Who are the defending champions?
Argentina won the men's title and Spain won the women's title at the 2024 edition of the FIP World Cup.
Sources
- 1.Doha fully primed to host FIP World Cup Qatar 2026, Qatar News Agency
- 2.Germany secure double qualification for the FIP World Cup 2026 in Doha. Netherlands and Great Britain also celebrate, International Padel Federation (FIP)
- 3.FIP World Cup: Qatar confirmed as host of the 2026 and 2028 editions, International Padel Federation (FIP)
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