President of International Padel Federation: Kuwait is the World Capital of the Sport by Hosting Two International Tournaments Simultaneously

International Padel Federation (IPF) President Luigi Carrao praised Kuwait’s growing international standing in the sport of padel, describing it as the “padel capital of the world” this week, as it hosts two major international tournaments: the Premier Padel Major and the Asia and Africa World Cup qualifiers.

In a statement to KUNA on Saturday, Carrao said that “hosting both tournaments simultaneously represents an unprecedented achievement in the history of the game,” commending Kuwait’s organizational standards, infrastructure, and sports facilities.

Carrao added that “Kuwait is the undisputed padel capital of the world this week,” noting that no country had previously organized two tournaments of such magnitude at the same time.

He explained that “the IPF delegation is visiting Kuwait for the third consecutive year, and with each visit, our appreciation for the country grows, particularly due to the hospitality of its people, the professionalism of the organizing teams, and the quality of its facilities and accommodation.”

He described Kuwait’s Premier Padel Major as the best in the world from the players’ perspective, highlighting its immense popularity among fans and viewers on television, as it ranks among the most-watched tournaments of the year.

Carrao expressed his appreciation for the organizing committee and its staff, commending their outstanding efforts in coordinating two major international tournaments simultaneously.

He pointed out that hosting the Premier Padel Major alone requires significant organizational capacity, while organizing the Asia and Africa World Cup qualifiers concurrently further demonstrates Kuwait’s exceptional infrastructure and expertise.

“Believe me, this is unique,” he emphasized, stressing that Kuwait possesses the necessary organizational capabilities to successfully host such major sporting events.

He noted that hosting international tournaments like the Premier Padel Major will significantly contribute to raising the technical level of local players by providing them with the opportunity to compete against a select group of international players. At the same time, he stressed the importance of organizing more tournaments within the Cobra IPF Tour and IPF Promises circuits to ensure the sustainable development of padel in Kuwait.

He clarified that IPF Promises tournaments focus on developing young players and discovering promising talents who could become stars on the international scene within the next three, five, or ten years.

Conversely, the Cobra IPF Tour provides players from around the world with opportunities to earn ranking points and qualify for the main stages of Premier Padel tournaments.

Carrao expressed confidence that Kuwait possesses the organizational expertise and player standards necessary to host more competitions within these two tours.

Speaking about Kuwait’s regional impact, Carrao described Kuwait and Qatar as the leading countries in developing padel in the region, particularly through hosting major international tournaments.

He praised the growing contributions of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Sultanate of Oman, while simultaneously highlighting Kuwait’s remarkable progress in attracting prestigious international tournaments.

Carrao highlighted Kuwait’s achievements over the past three years, starting with hosting the P1 tournament two years ago, followed by hosting the inaugural edition of the IPF World Padel Pairs Cup last year.

He added that Kuwait has moved this year into the stage of hosting the Premier Padel Major tournament, coinciding with the Asia and Africa qualifiers for the Padel World Cup, reflecting the continued rise of its status on the international stage for this sport.

Kararo said, “There are no limits to what Kuwait can achieve,” encouraging the country to maintain this momentum and work on strengthening its position as a leading international destination for hosting the sport.

He expressed confidence that Kuwait will continue to consolidate its place among the top host nations for major global padel championships in the future, relying on its exceptional organizational standards and advanced sports infrastructure.

He noted that an agreement reached in Kuwait a year ago paved the way for including padel in the program of the Asian Games, describing this step as an important milestone on the path toward achieving the sport’s Olympic ambitions.

Kararo said the agreement was reached in cooperation with the Olympic Council of Asia, which is headquartered in and led by Kuwait.

He added that padel saw the successful staging of its first edition in Japan this year, describing the event as a major success and another important step toward enhancing international recognition of the sport.

In conclusion, Kararo reiterated his appreciation for Kuwait’s efforts, emphasizing that its achievements in hosting major international tournaments reflect its growing influence in shaping the future of padel worldwide.