The US National Padel Team’s trip to the 2026 FISU World University Padel Championship has wrapped up, and while the team’s results tell an encouraging story in their own right, the bigger takeaway from Malaga was the experience gained by competing and connecting with student-athletes from around the world. 

Held July 7-11 at PSM Fantasy Club and hosted by the University of Malaga, the championship brought together players from more than 20 countries, many of them from nations with decades of grassroots padel history. The USA delegation finished 14th overall out of 20 countries, falling just a couple of points shy of cracking the top 10, a strong showing for a program still building its international pedigree.

Delfina Inza and Emma Avina, both of whom have been building international résumés through junior competition over the past two years, added another chapter to that experience in Malaga. Having already competed in countries like Spain, Chile, and Brazil, they took another look at high-level competition at this event, this time as university athletes rather than juniors, facing tighter margins and more seasoned opponents.

Inza reflected on what made the week stand out:

“I want to say that overall it was such an amazing experience getting to represent USA at the first-ever FISU University World Cup for padel. I really loved competing against players from all over the world, and one of my favorite parts was definitely learning about everyone outside of padel, like what they studied, what they wanted to do in the future, and just getting to meet so many people from different countries.

The level of padel in this competition was really good, and every match was super competitive. I also really liked the event’s format because we could compete in our own men’s/women’s categories as well as mixed, which meant we played more matches and made the experience even more enjoyable. For this being the first FISU University World Cup in history, I think it was an amazing event, and I really hope they continue doing it because it was such an unforgettable experience.”

For Leonardo Flores and Sergio Talero, Malaga marked their first major international appearance. The pair got their first real experience of competing against student-athletes from countries like Germany and Chinese Taipei, matchups that simply aren’t available on the domestic circuit yet.

Team Delegate Manuel Avina led the delegation through a week that, by design, was as much about development as it was about competition. Playing across men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, all four athletes left Malaga with more international match time than they had when they walked in. 

“The experience in Malaga was truly unforgettable for our players. Beyond the competition itself, the opportunity to connect with student-athletes from over 20 countries through off-the-court activities, especially initiatives like the ‘Inclusive Draw’ tournament, was invaluable. It fostered genuine friendships and cultural exchange that will last long after the matches ended. I want to sincerely commend the organizing committee and FIP for their vision in promoting such an amazing tournament; their dedication to creating an inclusive, high-level environment for student-athletes has set a wonderful standard for the future of collegiate padel.”

That’s really the bigger story here: FISU events like this one function as the student-athlete pathway for American padel, the international equivalent of what college sports provide domestically. As American padel continues to grow at home, weeks like this one in Malaga remain a key part of the pathway, giving players the chance to measure themselves against the world and bring that experience back into the domestic game.

Event Recap:

• Tournament: 2026 FISU World University Padel Championship
• Dates: July 7-11, 2026
• Venue: PSM Fantasy Club, Malaga, Spain
• US National Team: Leonardo Flores, Sergio Talero, Delfina Inza, Emma Avina
• Team Delegate: Manuel Avina, USPA Board Member
• Team Finish: 14th of 20 countries