Padel is not just for the pros. One of the best things about the sport is that anyone of any level and age can have a great time and take part in competitions.
I first published this article several years ago and the amateur padel scene has changed enormously since then. Spain now has over 17,000 padel courts (more than tennis courts), Catalunya alone has 3,200+, and Barcelona’s metropolitan area has over 200 clubs. The number of circuits and leagues available to amateur players has grown to match.
Players of different levels look for different kinds of tournaments, so the first thing you should do is consider your level and experience in competitive padel. Click here to find out your padel skill level.
If you’ve just started playing and don’t know many people who play padel, I’d suggest looking for Americanas first. These are events with 20-40 people where you change partners every match, so you can go alone and meet other players. Some give prizes for winners but mostly they’re for having fun and gaining experience. Participation in Americanas tends to be close to 50/50 male and female.
Once you’ve got several Americanas under your belt, found a partner or two that gel well with you, and are ready to take things to the next level, start looking at tournaments.
Not all tournaments are of the same quality. Here are the things I look for when selecting amateur padel tournaments:
- Quality of the clubs and courts
- Type of prizes
- Duration of matches
- Whether they have a ranking system
- How many categories they offer (more categories means better level matching)
You want tournaments played at clubs with great facilities. Not all padel courts are the same, and some are really poor in terms of bounce uniformity, amount of sand and its distribution, and the quality of the glass walls and fence. Maintenance can be an issue too. I’ve seen nets that aren’t at regulatory height because nobody bothered to adjust the tension.
For prizes, many tournaments give away whatever their sponsors provide for free, typically rackets and bags. Any player who has been playing for a while already has a good racket, so these prizes tend to get resold on Wallapop the day after. I much prefer monetary prizes, and I’ve noticed this is becoming more common. Liga de Padel Barcelona now offers €25,000 in prizes across a season, and the new FIP Beyond circuit will bring structured prize money to amateur events.
As for match duration, many tournaments use 30-minute matches or matches up to 9 games, which isn’t enough to really analyse the opponent and impose your tactics. It becomes too random. When I’m paying to enter a tournament, I want a fair chance of winning based on skill.
Finally, I prefer circuits that run year-round with a points-based ranking system, just like the professional tour. Most of the established circuits in Barcelona now offer this.
Padel Tournaments and Circuits in Barcelona
Most of my tournament experience has been in Barcelona, so here’s a rundown of what’s available. The scene has matured considerably, with circuits expanding their categories (some now offer 13), adding veteran and mixed categories, and attracting major sponsors.
DKV Circuito Padel Publidep
Formerly sponsored by Adeslas SegurCaixa, now by DKV. This is arguably the most prestigious amateur circuit in Catalunya and remains one of my favourites. They run around 11 events per season plus a Master Final, with 13 categories (5 men’s, 5 women’s, 3 mixed). Registration includes an official t-shirt, refreshments, and free physiotherapy. Bullpadel is the equipment partner. The 2026 season is already underway at venues like Artos Sports Club and David Lloyd Turó.
Barcelona Padel Tour Xpress by NACEX
Founded by Eddie Jackson Tingström, this circuit has rebranded from the old Vueling Cup to NACEX sponsorship. Still well-organised, with 11 categories and tournaments at venues like Pro Padel (Sant Cugat), Padel Indoor Hospitalet, and Padelarium (Gavà). They now run on the Xporty platform and have a loyalty programme giving 50% off entries for players who competed in 7+ events the previous season.
Open Padel Series (OPS)
Now in its 8th edition. The big development here is the addition of a league format (OPL – Open Padel League) alongside traditional tournaments, with three regional leagues covering central, north, and south Barcelona. They also run Gran Slam events. A new STAR POINT scoring system launched in 2026 for improved competitive fairness. Everything is managed through a modern app.
The Padel Cup by CUPRA
This is a newer circuit organised by One16Sports and Mundo Deportivo, effectively replacing the old Circuito Padel Adeslas which shut down in 2021. Now in its 3rd edition, it runs 8 tournaments across Spain including Barcelona (November at Artos Sports Club). Categories are Gold, Silver, and Bronze for men and women. Gold winners qualify for the Master Final with accommodation included.
Rafa Nadal Academy Padel Tour
Launched in 2024 and growing fast. The 2026 edition includes 8 stops in Spain plus expansion into Italy. Barcelona’s stop is at Vall Parc Esports (June 27-29, 2026). This is a team competition (minimum 6 players per team) with the final held at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca. A nice option if you want to combine padel with a group experience.
Leagues
If you prefer regular weekly play over one-off tournaments, Barcelona now has several competing league formats.
Liga de Padel Barcelona
This league has improved significantly since I first wrote about it. They now offer 13 matches plus playoffs, with €25,000 in total prizes. Managed through a mobile app. They also run a summer edition.
LaLiguita Head
A newer indoor league at Padel Indoor Hospitalet (24 courts, up to 270 pairs). Sponsored by Head, with 3 leagues and 11 matches plus playoffs. A good alternative if you’re in the Hospitalet area.
Padelcat (via Setteo)
The oldest amateur padel competition in Catalunya, now over 11 years running. The Lliga Padelcat DKV per Equips is a team-based league managed through the Setteo platform. Multiple categories and divisions, structured in phases. Serious and well-organised.
Series Nacionales de Padel
Now in its 12th edition with over 100,000 players expected. This has grown into the largest amateur padel competition in the world and has expanded internationally to Portugal, Italy, Mexico, and Sweden. The format is a team league with home-and-away matches, running from September through June. Very affordable at €20 registration plus €6 per match. Adidas is the official equipment partner for 2026.
Outside Barcelona
VisaVis Padel Tour runs a full circuit of 9 tournaments plus a Master Final in the Vallès Oriental region (Granollers, Vilanova, Les Franqueses). Good option if you’re outside the city.
Circuit Padel Maresme operates in the Maresme area (Mataró, Canet, etc.) with a points-based ranking system.
Summapadel runs both a league and the Guinotprunera Circuit in Catalunya, with 4 categories including +45 and Golden Girls +38 for veterans.
International Amateur Tournaments
International Padel Experience by Madison still organises amateur tournaments internationally and is a great option to combine padel with travel. Expect much higher levels at Spanish stops compared to countries where padel is newer.
The FIP Beyond circuit is launching in 2026 as the International Padel Federation’s new global amateur structure. Three tournament tiers with prize money ranging from €3,600 to €18,000. First events are starting in April-May 2026. This could become a significant addition for competitive amateur players looking for international competition.
Finding Tournaments
The platform landscape has changed a lot. Playtomic is now the dominant platform for court bookings and finding matches, with over 2 million players and 16,000+ courts worldwide. For tournament management, Xporty has emerged as a major platform used by several circuits including Barcelona Padel Tour and the Rafa Nadal Academy Tour. Setteo remains strong for federation-managed leagues like Padelcat. And Padelnest is useful as an aggregator for finding clubs and tournaments (they list 345 clubs in the Barcelona province alone).
Local padel clubs also organise their own tournaments and Americanas. Check the social media pages and apps of your nearest clubs for upcoming events.
Have I missed any important amateur padel tournaments in Barcelona? Let me know in the comments.
Related
Hi Jean,
I have a group of strong Irish padel players (24) (international Vets) looking to play in fun competitions anywhere in Europe Sept/Oct/Nov, any suggestions ?
Thanks
Yvonne
Try Hello Padel in Spain.