Padel Rules for Beginners

New to padel and want the rules before you step on court? Here's everything you need to know to play your first game with confidence.

The Court

Padel is played in doubles on an enclosed court, about 20 by 10 meters, surrounded by glass walls and metal fencing. There's a net across the middle, slightly lower than a tennis net. That's really all you need to know about the court itself: it's smaller than tennis, and the walls are part of the game.

Scoring

Scoring follows the same pattern as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. First team to 6 games wins the set, as long as they're ahead by at least 2 games. If it goes to 6-6, you play a tiebreak (first to 7 points, win by 2). Most matches are best of 3 sets.

One thing that's changed for 2026: at deuce, teams now have three options for how to settle it, ranging from classic advantage scoring to a single winner-take-all "Golden Point." Your club or league will typically set which format is in play, so don't worry about memorizing all three before your first game.

Serving

The serve is always underhand. You bounce the ball, then hit it at or below waist height, sending it diagonally into your opponents' service box. The receiving team has to let the serve bounce first; you can't volley a serve in padel.

Wall Play (This Is the Fun Part)

Here's the rule that makes padel padel: once the ball bounces on your side of the court, it can then hit a wall (or two) before you return it, as long as it hasn't bounced on the floor a second time. That means rallies last longer, points get more creative, and you don't need a cannon of a shot to win a point. A smart wall shot beats a hard, flat one more often than not.

One Safety Rule to Know

Rackets come with a wrist cord, and it's mandatory to wear it during play. If your cord breaks or you drop your racket mid-point, that point goes to your opponents. Simple rule, easy to follow, keeps everyone safe.

That's Really It

Padel's rules are simple enough to pick up in five minutes and deep enough to spend years getting better at. Most people are rallying comfortably in their first session, and the rest comes with playing.

Rules sourced from the International Padel Federation (FIP) official rulebook, effective January 1, 2026.