Key Takeaways
- The Spanish Padel Federation revealed a 24-player preliminary squad for the FIP World Cup 2026 in Qatar, which will be cut down to 16 players on September 24.
- Selectors Juanjo Gutiérrez and Carolina Navarro will pick eight male and eight female players during an event in Madrid.
- Notable players omitted from the list include world number 18 Edu Alonso, world number 20 Javi Garrido, 2024 silver medalist Álex Ruiz, and Jess Castelló.
Spanish federation names preliminary candidates for Doha
The road to Qatar has officially commenced. The Spanish Padel Federation announced its preliminary list of 24 players aiming to represent Spain at the FIP World Cup 2026, scheduled to take place from November 2 to 7. From this initial pool, only 16 will secure a ticket to the tournament, with eight players selected per category.
National selectors Juanjo Gutiérrez and Carolina Navarro will unveil the final squad of eight men and eight women on Thursday, September 24, during a presentation event in Madrid.
The 24 shortlisted players
The preliminary squad features established stars alongside emerging talents across both divisions, competing for the 16 available roster spots.
| Category | Selected players |
|---|---|
| Men | Arturo Coello, Ale Galán, Juan Lebrón, Paquito Navarro, Mike Yanguas, Coki Nieto, Jon Sanz, Aimar Goñi, Javi Leal, Fran Guerrero, Momo González, Pol Hernández |
| Women | Gemma Triay, Ari Sánchez, Paula Josemaría, Bea González, Claudia Fernández, Andrea Ustero, Martina Calvo, Marta Ortega, Alejandra Salazar, Tamara Icardo, Marina Guinart, Alejandra Alonso |
High-profile names omitted from the selection
Several established figures failed to make the cut. Among the men, Edu Alonso missed out despite sitting 18th in the FIP rankings. Javi Garrido, ranked 20th in the world, was also left off the list following recent inconsistent form. Álex Ruiz, currently 21st in the FIP rankings and a silver medalist with Spain at the 2024 World Championships, was another prominent omission.
In the women’s category, Jess Castelló, who featured in Doha two years ago, did not make the preliminary roster. Furthermore, the Premier Padel duo of Bea Caldera and Carmen Goenaga also missed out on the initial 24-player selection ahead of the September 24 final cut.
