Despite hosting a blockbuster debut padel event last fall in New York’s Central Park, the A1 Padel tour has followed the lead of the newly formed Premier Padel tour and left the U.S. off its main tournament schedule for the first quarter of 2024.
Granted, the full schedule for the year is still yet to be released, and after cultivating partnerships with the likes of the New York Yankees, chances are pretty good we’ll see at least one U.S. venue on the list when the final tournament schedule is unveiled.
What’s more, last October, A1 did promise to re-schedule the postponed 2023 Miami Masters event saying, “After the resounding success of the recent New York City Grand Master tournament, A1 Padel is taking vital steps to ensure an even more spectacular event in Miami. We plan on making new dates available in the near future.”
But for now, all we know for sure is that through the first three months of the year A1 will host seven total events, all outside the United States. Monaco and South Africa will each host one Master-level event, and the A1 Padel tour will make its debut in Chile with an Open-level tournament in April. Then Puebla and Mexico City will each host both Open- and 1000-level events.
The full press release from A1 Padel states:
The first quarter of A1 Padel for 2024 is confirmed
The 2024 first quarter of A1 Padel is now official. The circuit will feature 7 events during the first months of the year, including tournaments of Fabrice Pastor Cup, Open, and Master categories. The kick-off will be on February 21st. Mexico, Monaco, South Africa, and Chile have been selected as the countries hosting these events. Below are all the details, dates, venues, and information about a calendar that promises a lot of excitement.
A Before and After in the Fabrice Pastor Cup
The Fabrice Pastor Cup will feature a minimum of 10 events divided into 500 and 1000 categories in 2024. Let’s remember that the points earned in these tournaments count towards A1’s overall ranking. The first two confirmed stages are the FPCup 1000 in Puebla from February 21st to 25th, and the FPcup 1000 in Mexico City from April 21st to 25th.
In the coming days, tournaments in Central America, Asia, and Europe will be added. It’s worth noting that the event in Puebla will not only kick-start the Fabrice Pastor Cup but also the circuit in general.
In the Open category, one repeats and two debut
Puebla became a second home for A1 Padel after the agreement signed last year between the circuit and BUAP, one of Mexico’s most prestigious universities. The Arena BUAP will once again host the elegant red carpet in what will be the first Open of the season from February 26th to March 3rd. The tournament will take place just after the FPCup in Puebla mentioned earlier.The two venues making their debut in the calendar are Santiago de Chile and Mexico City. A1 Padel will visit Chilean lands for the first time from April 15th to 21st at the prestigious Club de Polo y Equitación San Cristóbal. At the same time, the Mexican capital will warmly welcome the world’s best paddles from April 29th to May 5th. Similar to Puebla, the tournament in Mexico City will follow the FPCup.
Master tournaments come with significant changes
It’s important to highlight that in the 2024 season, Master and Grand Master tournaments will have 48 pairs and 10 days of competition. The events will start on Fridays and end on the following Sunday. This is unprecedented in the history of professional paddle.
Two emblematic tournaments will be responsible for inaugurating this innovation. The first of these will be the Monaco Master from March 14th to 25th, set against the iconic backdrop of the Monte Carlo Casino. An authentic paddle festival for sports enthusiasts. On the other hand, from March 29th to April 7th, A1 Padel will visit South Africa, a country where A1 Padel will land for the third consecutive year, always thrilling the fans.
While the U.S. wasn’t specifically mentioned in the release, given the size of the U.S. spectator sports market and the rate at which padel is exploding in the U.S., it seems highly likely that A1 would at least be considering U.S. sites for 2024 and beyond.
But, if they choose to skip the U.S. altogether this year, it could end up greatly benefiting the new North-American-focused Pro Padel League (PPL) as it would allow the PPL to capitalize even further on their first-mover advantage heading into their sophomore season.
