Official Padel-Regeln (FIP)

Court, ball and racket

The court

FIP rule summary: A regulation court is a 10 m × 20 m rectangle measured inside the enclosure, with a 0.5% tolerance. A net divides it into two equal halves. Service lines run parallel to the net 6.95 m from it; a central service line divides each service area and extends at least 20 cm beyond the service line. Lines are 5 cm wide and the two halves must be symmetrical. Minimum unobstructed height is 6 m (8 m is suggested for new facilities).

The net is 10 m long, 0.88 m high at the centre and 0.92 m at the ends (maximum tolerance 0.005 m); posts may be up to 1.05 m high. The court is fully enclosed: the ends are 4 m high (normally 3 m wall plus 1 m metallic fence), and the side enclosure follows one of the FIP configurations. Walls must give a uniform bounce; metallic mesh must be flat and safe, with diagonal openings between 5 cm and 7.08 cm.

The floor may be cement, synthetic material or artificial grass if it gives a regular bounce. FIP lists green, blue and terracotta tones as permitted/preferred single-colour surfaces, with a clear wall contrast. Internal level differences should be under 3 mm measured with a 3 m straightedge; without drainage, the maximum transverse slope is 1%.

For authorised out-of-court play, each side needs two access points and an obstacle-free safety area at least 3 m wide, 4 m long and 3 m high (4 m wide is recommended). Access edges and posts must be padded. Lighting must be uniform and not impair players, officials or spectators; light poles inside the safety area prevent out-of-court play.

padel.how practical note: Before a match, agree whether the court is approved for outside play and how a ball through a gate will be judged.

The ball

FIP rule summary: Official competitions use FIP-approved rubber balls with a uniform surface and clear floor contrast. Diameter is 6.35–6.77 cm, weight 56.0–59.4 g, and a new ball dropped from 2.54 m onto a hard surface must bounce 135–145 cm. Internal pressure is 4.6–5.2 kg per 2.54 cm². Above 1,000 m altitude, the permitted high-altitude ball has a 121.92–135 cm bounce range.

padel.how practical note: For a rules-sensitive match, use the ball type announced by the organiser; appearance alone is not a specification.

The padel racket

FIP rule summary: The racket has a head and handle. The handle is at most 20 cm long, 50 mm wide and 50 mm thick. Head plus handle may not exceed 45.5 cm; the head may be up to 26 cm wide and 38 mm thick, with a 2.5% thickness tolerance. The hitting surface has unlimited cylindrical holes, normally 9–13 mm in the central area; within 4 cm of the edge, holes may be larger or differently shaped up to 20 mm where the game is not affected. Both faces may be smooth or rough but must be flat.

Only reasonable attachments used to limit deterioration, vibration or weight distribution are permitted. No reflective/sound device may disturb play, and no device may communicate instructions. A non-elastic safety cord fixed to the handle, no longer than 35 cm, is mandatory and must be worn around the wrist.

padel.how practical note: Check the wrist cord before the first point, especially when borrowing a racket.

Rule 1 — score in a game, set and match

Game scoring options

FIP rule summary: Rule 1 lists three game-scoring options; competition regulations determine which one applies.

• Advantage: Love, 15, 30, 40. At 40–40 it is deuce; a pair must win two consecutive points after deuce, with a lost advantage returning to deuce.
• Star Point: after deuce 1/advantage 1 and then deuce 2/advantage 2, a lost advantage reaches deuce 3 and the next point is the deciding Star Point. The receiving pair chooses the side and may not change receiving positions. In mixed play the receiver is the same sex as the server.
• Golden Point (no advantage): Love, 15, 30, 40, Game; at three points each, one deciding Golden Point is played. The receiving pair chooses the side but cannot switch positions; mixed play uses the same-sex receiver rule.

Sets, match and tie-break

FIP rule summary: Standard set: first to six games by two; 5–5 continues to 7–5, and 6–6 uses a tie-break. A match is normally best of three sets. If agreed in advance, a deciding third set can omit the tie-break: at 6–6, win by two games.

In a standard tie-break, points are 0, 1, 2 and so on. First to seven by two wins. The player whose turn it is to serve starts with one serve from the right; the opponents then serve two points, after which players serve two each in order. Change ends every six points. The set is recorded 7–6, and the next set starts with the player who did not start serving the tie-break.

Alternative score methods

FIP rule summary: A four-game mini-set is won by four games by two, with a tie-break at 4–4. At one set all, a final seven-point tie-break may replace the last set; alternatively a final ten-point super tie-break may replace it. Both require a two-point margin.

padel.how practical note: Ask which scoring option, set format and tie-break applies before the toss.

Rules 2–5 — time, positions, choice and ends

Rule 2 — times

FIP rule summary: Not ready 10 minutes after the official start may be a walkover unless the umpire accepts force majeure. Warm-up includes an obligatory three-minute courtesy rally. Play is continuous: maximum 20 seconds between points, 90 seconds for an ends change (except continuous changes after the first game of a set and during a tie-break), 120 seconds at the end of a set, and 20 seconds for a tie-break ends change. Suspensions use a 0/1/3-minute return warm-up for up to 5, 5–20 and over 20 minutes. A treatable injury has one three-minute treatment break with the document’s limited repeat opportunity; an accident or medical event not caused directly by play may receive up to 15 minutes at the referee’s discretion, and an unusual incident may allow up to five minutes. Resume at the same game, score, server, court position and service/return order.

Rule 3 — position of the players

FIP rule summary: Each pair stays on its own side. The diagonally opposite player receives; the receiver and both partners may otherwise stand anywhere on their own side.

Rule 4 — choice of sides and service

FIP rule summary: The toss winner chooses serving/receiving, the side for the first game, or asks the opponents to choose first. The pairs then tell the umpire who serves and receives first.

Rule 5 — changes of sides

FIP rule summary: Change ends after the first, third and every later odd game; in a tie-break, after every six points. Correct an error when found, but keep all points already won. If a first-serve fault has already occurred, only one serve remains.

padel.how practical note: A side-change mistake does not erase the scoreboard; correct positions and continue with the proper order.

Rules 6–9 — serve, faults, return and let

Rule 6 — the service

FIP rule summary: Every point begins with a serve; after a valid first-serve fault the server has a second serve. The server stands behind the service line between the imaginary centre-line extension and side wall, remaining there until striking. The ball is bounced in the correct box, without crossing the relevant line before contact. Feet may not touch the service line, centre-line extension or the server’s receiving box; the ball is struck at or below waist height with at least one foot on the ground. Serve diagonally into the opposite box, alternating sides after each point (from the server’s right side to the receiver’s left box first). Contact or an intentional attempt counts as the serve. Wrong-side serves and out-of-turn serves are corrected when found; previous points stay valid and an earlier single fault is disregarded. The server waits for the receiver to be ready, but a receiver who attempted a return cannot claim “not ready”.

Rule 7 — service fault

FIP rule summary: A fault occurs for a Rule 6 (points 1–6) violation, a miss, a bounce outside the receiving box, or contact with the server, partner or something they wear/carry. It is also a fault when the ball bounces in the receiving box and touches the metallic fence before the second bounce, or exits directly through a gate where no safety zone means out-of-court play is not authorised.

Important correction: Correct-box bounce followed by fence contact before the second bounce is a serve fault under Rule 7(e), not a point won by the server.

Rule 8 — return of serve

FIP rule summary: Let the ball bounce in the receiving box and hit it before the second bounce. The first-game receiving choice fixes the alternating order for the set and tie-break. If the order is changed accidentally, use the mistaken order until that game/tie-break ends, then restore it. A serve hitting a receiver or racket before bouncing gives the server the point.

Rule 9 — repeat or “let” and “net” service

FIP rule summary: A “net” service touches net/posts then lands in the receiving box without touching the fence before the second bounce, or after touching net/posts hits a player or carried/worn article. A let is also called when the receiver was not ready. A first-serve net/let repeats the whole point and restores two serves; a second-serve net/let repeats only the second serve.

padel.how practical note: Correct box plus fence before the second bounce is a fault, not a let and not a server win.

Rules 10–12 — let points, interference and ball in play

Rule 10 — repetition or “let” point

FIP rule summary: A let may be called if the ball splits, an outside object enters, an unexpected non-player interruption occurs, or an object on the opponent’s ground moves and could interfere or endanger. Claim immediately; continuing play loses the right to claim. The umpire decides whether to repeat.

Rule 11 — interference

FIP rule summary: Deliberate interference awards the point to the opponent. Involuntary interference is a let and repeat; a second involuntary interference by the same pair loses the point.

Rule 12 — ball in play

FIP rule summary: Partners play alternately. The ball is in play from a valid serve until a let or decided score. After bouncing on the opponent’s court it may hit the inside walls, metallic mesh, floor, net or posts and still be returned before its second bounce.

padel.how practical note: A wall touch alone does not end a rally; the bounce order and second bounce matter.

Rules 13–16 — lost points, correct returns and outside play

Rule 13 — point lost

FIP rule summary: A point is lost if a player/racket/clothing/carried item touches the net, posts, tension cable or opponent’s court; the ball bounces twice; or the player hits before the net, double-hits, throws the racket, jumps the net, or both partners hit the ball. It is also lost when a return illegally reaches an opponent wall/fence/unrelated object without the required bounce, when the ball after a hit touches the striker, partner, clothing, own fence/floor or unrelated object, when the striker is outside the court without authorised play, after two consecutive serve faults, or if the safety cord breaks or the racket is dropped.

Without authorised outside play, a ball beyond the marked perimeter or through a gate loses the point. With authorised play, the rule sets separate outcomes for balls over an end wall, over a side wall or through a door; above 0.92 m the dividing gate post is neutral and may be touched.

Rule 14 — correct return

FIP rule summary: A return is correct when volleyed by an opponent or touching the opponent’s body, clothing or racket; when it bounces in the opponent’s court directly or after first using the player’s wall; or when, after that bounce, it hits a wall, fence, ceiling, light or unrelated object or leaves the court. Net/post contact followed by a landing in the opponent’s court is correct, as is contact with an unrelated object on the opponent’s ground after a correct bounce. A ball that bounces correctly, returns to the striker’s court and is played by the opponent can be legal if there is no net/opponent-court contact. One continuous swing with two contacts can be legal if the natural exit is not substantially changed. Corner bounces and authorised returns from outside are valid when the other conditions are met.

Rule 15 — point won

FIP rule summary: After bouncing in the opponent’s court, the ball winningly exits through or sticks in a metallic-fence hole, or sticks on the flat horizontal surface on top of the wall.

Rule 16 — authorised out-of-court play

FIP rule summary: Players may leave the court only when its access, safety-area and protection conditions are met and the applicable competition or club rules authorise it.

padel.how practical note: A gate is not automatically an invitation to run outside. Confirm the safety zone and match authorisation first.

Rule 17 — change of balls

FIP rule summary: Organisers announce brand/type, two or three balls and the change policy. Changes may follow an announced odd-game schedule (warm-up counts as two games and a tie-break as one), begin a set, or use another listed competition option. No change starts a tie-break; a change due then is delayed to game two of the next set. If a scheduled change is missed, correct it when the team that should have served with new balls next serves and continue the original schedule. Lost/damaged balls are replaced promptly with the same type: a new ball within the first two games after a change, or a used ball of similar wear after two completed games.

padel.how practical note: Ball-change timing is a competition procedure, not a mid-rally player preference.

Etiquette, conduct, timing and penalties

FIP rule summary: Players must be punctual, wear suitable sports clothing and footwear (no swimwear), identify themselves when asked, behave courteously and remain in the match area unless authorised. Accredited coaching is allowed during permitted rest periods; officials control coaching during medical, bathroom, suspension and other interruptions. Finalists are expected at prize giving unless verified injury, indisposition or reasonable cause prevents it.

Play must be continuous. The rules prohibit audible/visible obscenities, violent ball abuse, racket/equipment abuse, verbal or physical abuse and unsportsmanlike behaviour; players must make best efforts. Coaches can be sanctioned, and linked violations by a pair and coach may be cumulative.

The penalty table is progressive: first violation, warning; second, warning with point loss; third, warning with disqualification. For time violations, the first offence is a warning; on a repeat, a serving pair loses the first serve while a receiving pair loses a point; later violations may cost successive points. Coaches receive a warning then expulsion. Very serious verbal or physical aggression can cause direct disqualification, loss of match and removal from the competition under the disciplinary code.

padel.how practical note: In a club match without officials, agree the scoring format, ready-to-serve rhythm, outside-play status and dispute process before warm-up.