PADEL NEW ZEALAND NATIONALS 2026

The Padel New Zealand Nationals 2026 will take place at The Padel Club NZ, Papamoa, from Friday 13 – Sunday 15 November 2026.

The Nationals are a Tier 1 Padel New Zealand National Competition and represent the highest level of domestic competition within the Padel New Zealand competition structure.

With a growing calendar of sanctioned and club competitions providing competitive opportunities throughout the year for players of all levels, the Nationals are primarily intended for players ready to compete at the appropriate A or B grade national level.

Grades and capacity

The 2026 Nationals will include:

• Men’s A – up to 16 teams

• Men’s B – up to 24 teams

• Women’s A – up to 8 teams

• Women’s B – up to 12 teams

The Nationals will accommodate up to 60 teams / 120 players across the four divisions, representing the maximum planned competition capacity across the three-day event.

Final draw sizes and competition structures may be adjusted depending on entries received, competition integrity and operational requirements.

Registration

Entry fee: $80 per player + Humanitix booking fee

Registration closes: 5pm Wednesday 4 November 2026, unless divisions sell out earlier.

Each player may purchase one ticket only.

Places are limited and registrations are expected to sell out quickly. Players intending to enter are strongly encouraged to register promptly when registration opens.

IMPORTANT – TEAM ENTRIES

A team place is only confirmed once both nominated partners have successfully registered. Players are strongly encouraged to register at the same time as their partner.

Where both nominated partners have successfully registered within the available capacity, the team entry will be confirmed (subject to eligibility requirements).

General registration for a division will close when its available player capacity is reached.

If registration reaches capacity with registered players whose nominated partners were unable to register before the division filled, Padel New Zealand will reconcile the remaining places using individual registration timestamps. Priority will be given to the earliest registered players, in registration order, to form complete teams with the partners nominated in their original registrations. This may result in a later registered player whose nominated partner did not secure a place being removed from the division.

An individual registration therefore does not guarantee a place in the competition where the player's nominated partner has not also successfully registered.

WAITLIST

Players who successfully registered before a division sold out but were unable to secure a complete team place following the registration reconciliation process will be placed on the Registration Waitlist. This waitlist will be ordered in accordance with the registration timestamp process outlined above.

Once a division has sold out, players who were unable to register may join the Humanitix Waitlist through the event registration page.

Players on the Registration Waitlist will be considered before players who join the Humanitix Waitlist after the division has sold out.

A grade priority registration

A capped number of A grade places have been allocated through the priority invitation process based on the September 2026 Padel New Zealand National Rankings.

Players with a confirmed priority place will be provided with a priority registration code to complete their entry.

Remaining A grade places are available through general registration.

Grade standard

A grade represents the highest competitive division.

B grade represents a strong and increasingly competitive national grade and is intended for players who have developed the skills and match experience to compete effectively at that level.

Players should enter the grade appropriate to their current competitive level.

Padel New Zealand reserves the right to reclassify a player where appropriate, in accordance with the Terms & Conditions of Entry.

Event times and player availability

The Nationals run across Friday 13 – Sunday 15 November 2026.

The following times are provided as a guide only and may change once entries, draws and scheduling are finalised:

Friday: Matches are expected to start from 11am and continue into the late evening.
Saturday: Matches are expected to start from 8am and continue into the late evening.
Sunday: Matches are expected to start from 8-8.30am and conclude at approximately 5.30–6pm, followed by medal presentations.

Players must be available across the full three-day competition period while they remain in the competition and should not make travel or other commitments that rely on a particular match or finishing time.

Limited places and player conduct

Places at the Nationals are limited and demand may exceed capacity. Padel New Zealand cannot guarantee entry to every player wishing to participate.

We recognise that players may be disappointed if they are unable to secure a place or if a competition decision does not align with their preference. However, disappointment does not justify inappropriate behaviour towards the people delivering the competition.

Disrespectful or inappropriate communications or behaviour towards those delivering the competition will not be tolerated.

Padel New Zealand reserves the right to refuse or withdraw an entry where a player engages in unacceptable conduct in connection with the competition.

Player Licence and eligibility

All players must hold a valid Padel New Zealand Player Licence for the July 2026-June 2027 licence year at the time of the event. Players who do not yet hold a current licence should purchase one by the registration closing date (4 November 2026).

The annual licence fee is $25, plus applicable credit card fees. More information and player licence registration are available here: www.padelnewzealand.org.nz/player-license

Players must be at least 14 years of age on the event dates. Players under 18 must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian to enter and participate.

International and overseas-based players may enter, provided they meet the same applicable eligibility, licence, grade and entry requirements.

Competition format

The competition will use pool play followed by knockout rounds (or a round-robin format where appropriate for the number of teams entered).

Pool matches, Round of 16 matches and quarterfinals will be played as two full sets, with a match tiebreak to 10 points if the teams win one set each. Semi-Finals, Finals and Bronze Matches will be best of three full sets.

Full match formats and scoring requirements will be provided to players prior to the competition and will also be available for reference at the competition.

Draws and match schedules

In line with standard practice for national and international competitions, draws and match schedules are generally released approximately 24-48 hours before the competition. This allows final competition arrangements to be incorporated before publication and reduces the need for subsequent changes and updates to players.

We expect to release the Nationals draws and match schedules by 6pm on Wednesday 11 November 2026.

Players should make travel and accommodation arrangements based on the full three-day competition period outlined above and must not rely on a particular match time, court allocation or anticipated progression through the competition.

Requests for earlier draw or individual match scheduling information cannot be accommodated.

Ranking points

The Nationals are a Tier 1 National Competition, with official Padel New Zealand ranking points awarded in accordance with the Padel New Zealand Ranking System and Terms & Conditions of Entry.

Officiating

All matches are self-officiated, with players responsible for making their own calls. A designated referee or rules official will be available to assist with disputes and the application of the rules where required.

Balls

The HEAD Pro+ S will be the official ball used for the Padel New Zealand Nationals 2026, supplied by HEAD, long-standing sponsor and Official Ball Partner of Padel New Zealand.

Refunds

Refunds are available for withdrawals made before the published registration closing date. Humanitix booking fees are non-refundable.

Please refer to the Terms & Conditions of Entry for the full withdrawal and refund policy.

Photography & live-streaming

Photographs, video and livestream footage may be captured during the Nationals for event coverage, promotion and reporting.

By entering, players consent to being photographed or filmed and to this content being used by Padel New Zealand, the host club, event partners and authorised media.

Players who do not wish to be individually photographed may advise the event photographer, although they may still appear incidentally in general event, match or livestream footage.

Before registering

Please read the Padel New Zealand Nationals 2026 Terms & Conditions of Entry before registering.

By completing registration, each player confirms their acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.

Event enquiries

Please refer to the published event information before contacting Padel New Zealand.

Questions not addressed in the published information should be directed to info@padelnewzealand.org.nz

To ensure enquiries are managed consistently, event enquiries will not be handled through social media comments, Instagram, WhatsApp or Facebook messages prior to or during the event.

We look forward to welcoming you to the 2026 Nationals.