The IAPPF has entered a new partnership with the International Padel Cluster (IPC,) giving Cluster member companies direct access to the fastest-growing racquet sports market in the United States through Smash 2026 – The IAPPF Conference and Expo at AB Show.

The IPC is the world’s leading non-profit professional business network dedicated to the padel industry. Founded in Barcelona, the IPC acts as a powerful industry lobby and B2B platform. It drives international commercial growth, standardizes quality, and elevates padel on the global sports stage.

What It Does

• Fosters B2B Connections: Connects major commercial players through dedicated networking hubs and joint international ventures.
• Hosts World-Class Events: Organizes the annual Padel World Summit, the premier global gathering for industry investors, leaders, and innovators.
• Drives Standardization: Coordinates global infrastructure and quality standards for safer, unified club facilities worldwide.
• Advocates for Growth: Publishes specialized trade insights via Padel Cluster Magazine and campaigns for padel’s inclusion in the Olympic Games.

Who It Serves

The IPC serves the entire commercial lifecycle of the sport, supporting over 130 member companies and 160 brands across Europe, the US, and Asia-Pacific, including:

• Manufacturers: Brands producing rackets, balls, apparel, and court components.
• Infrastructure Specialists: Club builders, turf manufacturers, and lighting technicians.
• Service Providers: Club owners, tour operators, tech startups, and digital platforms.
• Investors: Venture capitalists and entrepreneurs looking to enter the high-growth padel market.

The two organizations will work hand in hand to curate the premier US padel business gathering,  anchored by a dedicated Padel Business Summit, plus full access to the AB Show expo floor’s hundreds of exhibitors across the broader athletics, fitness and recreation industries.

That combination is the draw: Smash 2026 pulls more than 2,000 attendees from all 50 states into one place, backed by a conference program of more than 100 sessions and an expo floor of 200-plus exhibitors. The audience is the buying side of the industry — owners, operators and program directors overseeing capital projects worth more than $50 million, representing the demand behind more than 17,000 pickleball and padel facilities now operating in the US. For Cluster members looking to enter or grow in the US market, it puts them in front of the people who make purchasing decisions, not just industry peers.

“One of our missions is to make the Cluster truly international, and that starts with connecting to fast-growing markets like the United States,” said Michel Gogniat, Managing Director of the International Padel Cluster. “This is a natural opportunity to collaborate rather than compete, and we’re excited about what it can build for both organizations.”

“Our audiences complement each other very well, and we want to push padel as hard as we can at this show,” said David Johnson, CEO of IAPPF. “We’re excited to be working with the Cluster and with Michel, and hopeful this becomes a long-term relationship.”