Padel joins the medal programme at the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games

Padel will hand out Mediterranean Games medals for the first time this August, after the International Padel Federation and the Taranto organisers confirmed the sport's place on the programme in southern Italy.

The XX Mediterranean Games run from August 21 to September 3, with the padel competition set for August 22 to 28 at the Parco del Mediterraneo alla Salinella, a newly built venue in Taranto. Players chase medals in three events: men's, women's and mixed.

Who is coming

FIP says around 136 players have entered from 18 Mediterranean national federations, with Athletica Vaticana taking part as a guest. The field pulls from across the region - Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkiye among them. The event also sits on the official FIP calendar, a move meant to draw top athletes rather than leave the medals to development squads.

Why it matters

It's another multi-sport stage for a game that keeps collecting them. Padel already features at the Asian Games and is booked for the 2027 European Games, so the Mediterranean debut adds another flagship regional event to the list.

"The debut of Padel at the 2026 Mediterranean Games marks another historic milestone for our sport and a further recognition of its international growth," said FIP President Luigi Carraro.

The Games were pushed from a June slot to late August to dodge the peak summer heat and avoid clashing with other major events, so Taranto should get cooler evenings for the sport's first medals.