Hexagon Cup and Britain Padel Tour (BPT) represent two contrasting aspects of padel. Here's what you need to know:
- Hexagon Cup: A global, high-stakes team tournament with the world's top players, celebrity captains, and a €1 million prize pool. Held at Madrid's Caja Mágica, it features elite competition and international broadcasting.
- Britain Padel Tour: A UK-based circuit for players of all levels, offering 70 events in 2026. Open to beginners and professionals alike, it emphasizes local participation and skill development. For those just starting out, learning how to choose a beginner padel racket is a crucial first step.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Hexagon Cup | Britain Padel Tour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Type | Invitation-only | Open registration |
| Format | Team-based (Men, Women, Next Gen pairs) | Pair-based tournaments |
| Player Levels | World’s top-ranked players | All levels, from beginners to national pros |
| Prize Pool | €1 million | Varies by event |
| Location | Madrid’s Caja Mágica | Spread across the UK |
| Global Reach | International broadcast | National focus |
The Hexagon Cup is for fans of elite, high-energy matches, while the Britain Padel Tour offers opportunities for anyone to compete and improve. Both events highlight padel’s growing popularity in the UK but cater to very different audiences.
Hexagon Cup vs Britain Padel Tour: Side-by-Side Comparison
Hexagon Cup Overview
Event Concept and Format
The Hexagon Cup is an exclusive, invitation-only tournament featuring eight teams, each comprised of three pairs: men's, women's, and Next Gen. Teams face off in a round-robin league stage, with points awarded based on performance - 2 points for men's and women's matches, and 1 point for Next Gen matches. The top two teams advance to the Grand Final, while the third- and fourth-placed teams battle it out in a separate play-off.
Matches follow a best-of-three-sets format, incorporating a "Golden Point" rule and a Super Tiebreak (first to 10 points) for the third set. These rules are designed to maintain a fast-paced and thrilling competition. Combined with the roster of elite players, this format ensures a high-energy tournament from start to finish.
Player Profile and Prize Pool
The Hexagon Cup showcases 32 of the world's top players, including 18 of the top 20 overall and all of the top 10 women in the rankings [3][8]. The Next Gen category focuses on male players ranked within the world’s top 150 for the 2026 edition [3].
Adding to the excitement, each team is captained by a global celebrity. The 2026 tournament features big names like Andy Murray (AD/vantage Team), Robert Lewandowski (RL9 Team), Eva Longoria (Eleven Eleven), and Sergio "Kun" Agüero (Krü Padel). On the courts, fans can expect to see top-tier talent, including World No. 1 Arturo Coello, Agustín Tapia, and Gemma Triay [1][2].
The event boasts a €1 million prize pool, adding to its prestige. But it’s not just about the money or the star-studded lineup - the tournament’s venue and international scope amplify its impact.
"The team format, with its mix of styles, strategies and generations, guarantees excitement from the first point to the grand final." - Sergio Lewin, Operations and Sporting Managing Director of the Hexagon Cup [3]
Venue and Global Reach
The Hexagon Cup is held at Madrid's iconic Caja Mágica, a venue that perfectly complements the event's international aspirations. The 2026 edition attracted over 37,000 spectators, marking a 20% increase from the previous year [10]. This surge in interest mirrors the rapid expansion of Padel courts in the UK and across Europe.
The tournament has grown beyond its Madrid roots to become part of the Hexagon World Series - the first official global team circuit governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP). The 2026 series includes four stops: January 28–February 1 in Madrid, with additional events on May 7–10, October 22–25, and December 17–20 (locations for the latter three to be announced) [2]. Partnerships with major broadcasters like DAZN, beIN Sports, ESPN, and Eurosport ensure the event reaches audiences in Europe, North America, Asia, and the MENA region [1][4].
"Together with 54, FIP and the support of, and fantastic relationship with, Premier Padel, we will build the first truly global team circuit, expanding the vision of the Hexagon Cup and creating something never seen before in our sport." - Enrique Buenaventura, Founder of Hexagon Cup [5]
sbb-itb-5591e69
Chingotto/González vs Di Nenno/Tello | HIGHLIGHTS Hexagon Cup 2026 | 01/31/2026 | beIN SPORTS USA
Britain Padel Tour Overview
While the Hexagon Cup showcases the sport at its highest level worldwide, the Britain Padel Tour focuses on nurturing the game locally, building its foundation across the UK.
Event Structure and Schedule
The LTA Padel British Tour operates on a five-tier system, accommodating players at every level, from grassroots enthusiasts to national professionals. The 2026 season spans 35 weeks and includes 28 events: 7 Grade 1 tournaments and 21 Grade 2 competitions [12]. Grade 1 events are hosted at prestigious venues such as Stratford Padel Club in London, City Padel Exeter, Guernsey Padel Club in the Channel Islands, and Padium in Canary Wharf [11][12]. Grade 2 tournaments broaden the tour's reach, bringing the action to top UK locations like Leeds, Cardiff, Durham, and Harrogate.
Player Levels and Access
One of the tour’s strengths lies in its accessibility. Grade 5 events act as the starting point for newcomers, requiring no prior ranking or experience. Entry is open on a first-come, first-served basis to anyone with a free LTA Advantage membership [13][14]. As players improve, they can move up to Grade 4 (County) and Grade 3 (Regional) events, which require a combined pair ranking. The top tiers - Grade 1 and Grade 2 - feature the nation’s elite players. For context, a Grade 1 victory awards 4,000 ranking points, compared to just 300 points for winning a Grade 5 event [14]. To ensure fairness, the LTA ranking system uses a 52-week rolling window, counting only a player’s best six results.
Role in UK Padel Growth
In 2026, the tour spans all home nations - England, Scotland, and Wales - ensuring widespread participation [12].
"This calendar is designed to support players at every stage of the performance pathway, from aspiring juniors through to our top open and senior athletes, providing them with high‑quality competition, prize money, and a pathway into the international circuit." - Tom Murray, Head of Padel, LTA [12]
The schedule dedicates 16 weeks to junior players, including three FIP Promises international events, while senior categories (Over-40 through Over-60) enjoy over 20 weeks of competition [12]. The LTA Padel National League also offers a team-based format with three divisions, allowing club-level players to compete without needing a specific performance ranking [13].
This structured, localized approach offers a stark contrast to the global reach of the Hexagon Cup, setting the stage for further comparison.
Key Differences: Format, Player Levels, and Locations
Let's break down the main distinctions between these two events, focusing on their format, player levels, and locations.
Format Comparison
At its core, the Hexagon Cup and the Britain Padel Tour operate on entirely different structures. The Hexagon Cup is a team-based, invitation-only competition featuring eight franchise teams. Each team is built around three pairs: men's, women's, and Next Gen. Matches follow a round-robin league format leading to finals, and each match is played as best-of-three sets, with a 10-point tiebreak in the third set to keep things moving [1][2]. Scoring is team-focused: men's and women's matches contribute two points each, while Next Gen matches add one point [1][9].
On the other hand, the Britain Padel Tour is an open, pair-based circuit where players register and compete based on their rankings. There’s no team ownership or celebrity-driven model - just pairs entering events that match their skill levels.
| Feature | Hexagon Cup | Britain Padel Tour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Type | Invitation-only / Draft-based [1] | Open registration |
| Team Structure | Team-based (Men, Women, Next Gen pairs) [1][2] | Pair-based (traditional) |
| Scoring System | Points-based league (2 pts for Pro, 1 pt for Next Gen) [1][9] | Standard tournament format |
| Governance | FIP-regulated; integrated with Premier Padel [1][2] | UK-based regional circuit |
Now, let's explore how these events differ in terms of player eligibility and development opportunities.
Player Levels and Development Paths
Player eligibility is another major factor that sets these two competitions apart. The Hexagon Cup is designed for the world’s top-tier professionals. For example, the 2026 edition included only the highest-ranked players globally, while the Next Gen category was limited to players under 23 ranked in the top 150 [4][3]. This exclusivity largely excludes recreational or amateur players.
In contrast, the Britain Padel Tour is open to a much broader range of participants. As Mark Ayers, Director of Events at UK PADEL, explains:
"From grassroots new players to county champions and Masters finalists, every player has a place to compete and grow." [6]
The Britain Padel Tour also stands out for its structured development pathways. For aspiring players, the Tour offers junior categories (U13, U15, U18) and even Over-50s divisions, creating opportunities for players at every stage of their competitive journey [6].
Event Locations and Accessibility
The Hexagon Cup is a single-site event, taking place at the iconic Caja Mágica in Madrid [1][7]. To reach a global audience, the event prioritizes broadcasting over ticket sales, streaming matches for free on platforms like DAZN and YouTube [1][15]. As Enrique Buenaventura, the Hexagon Cup's founder, puts it:
"For the moment, the strategy is reach rather than revenue. We are trying to get us to as many households as we can." [15]
On the other hand, the Britain Padel Tour adopts a distributed model, hosting events across local clubs and regional centers throughout the UK. This approach emphasizes accessibility and community involvement over centralized spectacle.
| Feature | Hexagon Cup | Britain Padel Tour |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Location | Caja Mágica, Madrid [1][7] | Distributed UK club network |
| Venue Scale | Large-scale international arena [10] | Local padel clubs and regional centers |
| Geographic Scope | Global via broadcast; single-site event [1] | National (United Kingdom) |
| Accessibility | Elite spectator event; free global stream [1][15] | Open participation for UK-based players |
Conclusion
The Hexagon Cup and the Britain Padel Tour cater to very different audiences. The Hexagon Cup is an exclusive, high-stakes event held at Madrid's Caja Mágica, showcasing 32 of the world's top players and boasting a €1.2 million prize pool [3][15]. In contrast, the Britain Padel Tour is an inclusive, national circuit open to all levels - from beginners in Grade 4 events to seniors in Over-50s divisions. With nearly 70 official events planned across the UK in 2026 [6], it provides players with a clear path to hone their skills and advance.
Tom Murray, Head of Padel at the LTA, underscores the sport's growing appeal [16]:
"Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in Britain... we aim to inspire players of all ages and abilities to pick up a racket."
This commitment is reflected in the grassroots opportunities available. If you’re interested in joining the Britain Padel Tour, the first step is finding a local court. The Padel and Tennis Courts in the UK directory is a handy resource, covering venues across London, Surrey, and beyond. With 1,825 courts spread across 551 venues in the UK [16], there’s never been a better time to join a club and start competing. If you are new to the game, check out our beginner's guide to booking a court.
FAQs
How do players qualify for the Hexagon Cup?
Players don’t earn their way into the Hexagon Cup through the usual tournament routes. Instead, the event takes a different approach: eight teams are created, each backed by celebrity and business owners. Professional teams scout and recruit top-ranked players, while the "Next Gen" spots are filled with rising stars ranked within the world’s top 150. Team matchups are decided through a draw, making this a distinctive, team-focused competition.
Which Britain Padel Tour grade should I enter as a beginner?
As a beginner, it's a good idea to start with Grade 5 Local Tour events. These tournaments are ideal for newcomers because entry is on a first-come, first-served basis - no competitive ranking needed. They’re a great way to gain match experience and start building your LTA Padel Ranking, which you’ll need to qualify for higher-level events like Grade 4 and beyond.
Can Britain Padel Tour results help me reach international padel events?
The Britain Padel Tour plays a crucial role in preparing players for the international stage. Participants have the chance to earn prize money and accumulate national ranking points, both essential for advancing their careers. Beyond that, competing on this tour can boost FIP international rankings - a key factor for qualifying for Grade 1 and Grade 2 events. These rankings open doors to elite international tournaments, offering players a pathway to higher levels of competition.
