The XX Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 are just around the corner, and padel is preparing to experience a historic moment. For the first time since the inaugural event in 1951, padel will be part of its official program and will award medals at an event that will bring together the best players from the Mediterranean basin.
The Mediterranean Village will open its doors on August 18, marking the beginning of the training sessions. The opening ceremony of the Games is scheduled for August 21, giving way to the competition that will take place from August 22 to 28 at the Salinella Mediterranean Park, in the municipality of Taranto, in the Apulia region of Italy.
Delegations in Search of the First Medals at Taranto 2026
The tournament will feature 3 categories: men’s, women’s, and mixed. Each National Olympic Committee may register a maximum of two men’s pairs, two women’s pairs, and one mixed pair. The latter must consist of players previously called up for the men’s and women’s categories.
A total of 86 athletes from 18 delegations will participate:
- Albania
- Cyprus
- Croatia
- Egypt
- Slovenia
- Spain
- France
- Greece
- Italy
- Kosovo
- Morocco
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Portugal
- Serbia
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Athletica Vaticana (guest of honor)
Less than a month before the start of the tournament, some national federations have already announced the official squads with which they will compete in the debut of padel as a medal sport.
Spain: called up (FIP ranking)
Men´s Draw: David Gala (30), Pol Hernández (34), Guillermo Collado (36), José Antonio Diestro (43).
Women´s Draw: Patty Llaguno (21), Lucía Sainz (22), Jimena Velasco (29), Nuria Rodríguez (25).
Portugal: called up (FIP ranking)
Men´s Draw: Nuno Deus (85), Miguel Deus (102), Pedro Araújo (126), Pedro Graça (157).
Women´s Draw: Sofia Araújo (8), Ana Catarina Nogueira (59).
Italy: called up (FIP ranking)
Men´s Draw: Flavio Abbate (63), Alvaro Montiel (70), Marco Cassetta (101), Simone Iacovino (171).
Women´s Draw: Carolina Orsi (28), Giulia Dal Pozzo (31), Giorgia Marchetti (54), Carlotta Casali (79).
The same goal, but with different strategies. While the Portuguese and Italian federations will bring the highest-ranked national players in the FIP ranking—a detail especially evident in the women’s category—the Spanish Paddle Federation relies on the experience of players who do not occupy the top positions in the ranking, in a combination of veteran presence and the projection of new talents.
Competition format
According to the Technical Sports Manual of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games, all matches will be played in a best-of-three sets format. In the event of a tie at six (6) games, each set will be decided by a tie-break. Additionally, in all games tied at 40 (deuce), the star point will be applied. The tournament also includes a match between the pairs defeated in the semifinals to determine the bronze medal.
In case the schedule forces a player to play more than one match in the same day, the rules state that the minimum rest between the two games must be at least equal to the length of the last match played by that athlete.
The official ball of the tournament will be the Bullpadel Next Pro, and the draw for the order and schedule of the matches will take place at the technical meeting to be held on Friday, August 21, at 10:30, at the Villa Mediterránea.
Salinella Mediterranean Park, a newly constructed venue
The padel competition will have as its official venue the Salinella Mediterranean Park, a new and permanent facility, capable of accommodating up to 1,000 spectators. Designed to promote the development of this sport in the transalpine country, the complex will feature four outdoor courts: a main court with a capacity of 500 spectators and three secondary courts, in addition to two training courts.
Meanwhile, the various delegations will stay at the Mediterranean Village, located 5.2 kilometers from the competition venue.
