PadelCompass Weekly Briefing
#03Weekly briefingDACH league start

DACH league start: what really begins in 2026.

The German Padel League is starting, but not in the way many headlines suggest: Regionalliga and Oberliga begin first, while the 1st Bundesliga follows in autumn. Plus DACH infrastructure, shoulder research, chiquita setup and equipment radar.

schedule9 minformat_list_numbered9link12
09.05.
DPL 2026 start
Regionalliga / Oberliga
26.09.
1st Bundesliga start
D00 / H00 according to DPV
875
Courts in Germany
FIP Report 2025
77,300
Courts worldwide
FIP Report 2025
Top story

The German Padel League starts, the Bundesliga follows later

On May 9, 2026, the new German Padel League season begins. According to the German Padel Federation, registrations for 2026 are closed and the league enters its seventh season. Important context: this is not yet the start of the 1st Padel Bundesliga D00/H00.

The official DPV matchday schedule shows that May 9 mainly concerns Regionalliga and Oberliga preliminary rounds. The 1st Bundesliga D00/H00 starts on September 26, 2026; further age-category Bundesliga events follow on October 3, 2026.

For 2025, the DPV cited more than 500 teams and over 3,000 players. For 2026, we should only state a new total once the federation publishes it explicitly.

For recreational players, the practical message is simple: team padel becomes regular again from May 9, and league matchdays are often a fast route to better training partners.
DACH compact

DACH + Tour

01

Germany: the FIP World Padel Report 2025 lists 875 courts across 325 venues. Live directories can be higher because new venues appear there faster than in federation reports.

02

Austria: the APU is preparing a broader Bundesliga structure for 2026, with up to 124 teams and a registration deadline on May 15, 2026.

03

Switzerland: Swiss Tennis Padel runs its first Padel League in 2026, with group play from May to August, regional finals in September and national finals in November.

04

Premier Padel: Asunción P2 runs from May 5 to 10, followed by Buenos Aires P1 from May 11 to 17.

Science

Shoulder risk

A 2025 study by Marotta, Lopresti, Demeco, de Sire and colleagues examines whether IMU sensors and surface EMG can make shoulder-risk profiles in padel players more visible.

The study does not analyse one single shot. It looks at shoulder movement and muscle activation, especially around structures such as biceps, trapezius and infraspinatus.

The practical takeaway is cautious but useful: shoulder care belongs in regular padel training, especially for players who hit many bandejas, viboras, lobs and overheads.

Technique

Chiquita

The chiquita is not a winner, but a transition shot. The goal is a slow, low ball toward the opponents feet, so your pair can move forward together.

Good chiquita training measures the quality of the transition, not the direct point. Low speed, small arc and shared movement are more important than spectacle.

Equipment

Equipment radar

Wilson

Wilson Endure 2026: rounder control profile with Pro V1, V1 and LS V1 models.

Asics

Asics SonicSmash FF: light, agile shoe with X-GROOVE, FlyteFoam and Speedtruss elements.

HEAD

HEAD Radical 2026: control-oriented series with Pro, Motion, Team and Light versions.

Data

FIP World Padel Report 2025

The FIP World Padel Report 2025 cites more than 35 million active players, over 24,600 clubs and around 77,300 courts worldwide.

For the German-speaking region, distribution matters more than the global number: some areas grow quickly, while others still have few playable options.

Dates

2026

  1. May 9: German Padel League starts

  2. May 11-17: Buenos Aires Premier Padel P1

  3. May 15: Austrian Padel Bundesliga registration deadline

  4. May 26-30: FIP Platinum Albania

  5. May 30-31: HEAD Elite Tour Austria

  6. June 1-7: FIP Bronze Hamburg and Italy Major

Sources

Sources

Newsletter

Never miss the news?

Once a week: key padel news, DACH context, studies, equipment and technique tips. Clearly prioritised and carefully curated.

Missed something?

The last two issues

PadelCompass · Data-driven, transparent, independent.