What FIP homologation a competition padel court needs
To host official tournaments a court must meet FIP regulations. We explain what homologation requires and what sets a competition court apart.
If your club wants to host official tournaments, it is not enough for the court to be well built: it must be homologated to FIP regulations (International Padel Federation). Here is what that means in practice.
What the FIP regulations cover
The FIP rulebook defines the characteristics a court must meet to host official competition. The main ones:
- Playing dimensions: 20 × 10 m interior area, with strict tolerances.
- Clear height: a regulatory minimum over the entire playing surface, critical on covered courts.
- Tempered glass: safety glass walls, with standardized thickness and fixing.
- Lighting: minimum level and uniformity (competition courts run around 500 lux with no shadows).
- Playing surface: homologated artificial turf with the specified bounce and friction.
FIP homologation versus FEP homologation
At European level the FEP (European Padel Federation) comes into play. A court intended for serious competition is designed to satisfy both: FIP for the international framework and FEP for the European one. At IDRECO we manufacture with FIP and FEP homologation as standard, not as an add-on.
Why it matters from the very first drawing
Homologation is not a stamp applied at the end: it shapes the design from the start. The clear height forces the cover to be calculated to a given clearance; uniform lighting forces the luminaires to be positioned at design stage; the exact dimensions force an assembly tolerance a recreational court does not demand.
That is why a competition court is not a normal court "with paperwork": it is a court calculated from the drawing to meet the rules.
What to ask for before buying
- Written confirmation of FIP and FEP homologation.
- Guaranteed clear height if the court is covered.
- A lighting certificate with measured level and uniformity, not estimated.
A court that aims for competition and does not document these three points will leave you off the official calendar the day you want to host your first tournament.
Planning competition at your club? Let's talk about your project and we'll design it homologated from the very first drawing.