You finish a P100 tournament in third place and earn 60 points. The following week, you get the same result in another P100, but this time you earn only 40. The difference has nothing to do with your skill level or the format: it comes down to the number of pairs in the final draw. To understand how P100 points are distributed, you need to look beyond the points table displayed at the top of the draw.
Number of pairs entered in a P100: the real factor behind your points
It’s easy to assume that a P100 awards a fixed number of points based on your finishing position. The winner does indeed earn 100 points in every case, but the points awarded from second place onward vary according to the number of pairs entered. A tournament with eight pairs doesn’t award the same points to players who lose as one with sixteen or more.
In practice, the FFT uses different points tables. The more pairs there are, the more points are awarded for intermediate finishes. A quarter-finalist in a 16-pair P100 earns more than a quarter-finalist in an eight-pair P100. To check the P100 points table with detailed breakdowns based on the number of entries, it’s worth taking a look before signing up for a tournament.
This system directly affects your choice of tournaments. Entering a P100 with few pairs limits the points you can earn for intermediate finishes, even if the competition seems more accessible. Conversely, a P100 with a large field offers a better points return for reaching the semi-finals or quarter-finals.
P100 padel points table: read the right column
The official table is divided into columns for different ranges of pairs entered. The usual brackets are up to eight pairs, nine to sixteen, and more than sixteen. The winner always receives 100 points, regardless of the bracket.
The next places are where things get more complicated. Here’s what varies from one column to another:
- The runner-up earns more points when the number of pairs exceeds the first bracket, rewarding the greater challenge of reaching the final in a larger draw.
- Semi-finalists and quarter-finalists earn points only if the draw reaches a certain number of pairs. This means that in a small tournament, losing in the quarter-finals may earn you nothing at all.
- Players eliminated in the early rounds may earn a few points in tournaments with sixteen or more pairs, while smaller formats award none.
Make sure you check the column that matches the final draw, not the number of pairs announced when registration opened. If pairs withdraw before the tournament starts, the draw is recalculated. So you could enter a P100 advertised as having sixteen pairs and end up with the points table for a twelve-pair draw on the day.
Why the final draw takes precedence over the advertised category
Organizers announce a P100 hoping to fill the draw. But last-minute withdrawals and pairs that fail to confirm can reduce the actual number of participants. The FFT calculates points based on the draw as played, not as originally planned.
This can catch many players by surprise. They expect to earn a certain number of points based on the most favorable table, only to receive fewer because the draw has shrunk. Checking how many pairs have confirmed before the first match helps avoid this disappointment.
How P100 points affect the rolling FFT ranking
The FFT padel ranking uses a rolling system: it counts a player’s twelve best results from the previous twelve months. The ranking is calculated individually and published on the first Tuesday of each month.
For a player who enters P100 tournaments regularly, each new result competes with their previous ones. Earning 40 points in a low-turnout tournament may not affect your ranking if your twelve best results already exceed that total. By contrast, earning 70 points in a well-attended P100 can move you up several places.
When a P100 won’t change your ranking
If your twelve best results already include several P250s or P100s with large draws, an average result in a small P100 won’t count toward your ranking. Only your twelve best results count, making every tournament entry a strategic decision.
A pair’s tournament weight is calculated by adding together the rankings of both players. In the event of a tie, the referee holds a draw to determine positions in the groups or the draw. This detail matters: two pairs with the same combined ranking can end up in very different parts of the draw.
Choosing your P100 tournaments: what the points table doesn’t tell you
The temptation is to enter as many P100s as possible to rack up points. In practice, the FFT has identified a risk of a mismatch between a tournament’s category and the actual level of its participants. Some P100s attract players whose rankings are well above the usual level for that category, making it harder for competitors who are new to it to progress.
To get the most out of the points system, keep a few guidelines in mind:
- Prioritize P100s with an entry count close to the next bracket, as they award more points for intermediate finishes.
- Check the entry list a few days before the tournament to see whether the final draw is likely to shrink.
- Alternate between accessible P100s, where you can secure points, and tougher tournaments where a strong performance earns more.
Your ranking rewards the quality of your twelve best results, not the number of tournaments you play. Playing five P100s in a month and getting average results is often worth less than targeting two tournaments with thorough preparation and a well-matched partner.
P100 points distribution isn’t a table you check once and forget. You need to review it for every tournament, using the final draw and confirming how many pairs are actually competing. That’s what separates players who simply enter tournaments from those who make real progress in the rankings.
