Manila, Philippines – June 28, 2026 – Play Padel McKinley was loud long before the Pro final was decided. The home crowd could feel it coming — and when Padel Pilipinas sealed a 3–0 win over Prescott Development Team to defend the Asia Pacific Padel Cup on home soil, the noise said everything. In the Amateur draw, the title went to göpadel from Taiwan, who won 2–1 in a final decided by a third-set tiebreak. The third edition of the APPC brought ten teams from seven nations to Manila — the largest field in the competition’s history.
The Professional Draw: Champions at Home
The Philippines didn’t just defend the APPC title — they dominated it. Padel Pilipinas won 17 of 20 individual games across the week in the group stage — and when they beat Prescott Development Team from Pakistan 3–0 in the final, it was the same scoreline, the same opponent, the same result as Kuala Lumpur a year ago. By the time the home crowd started celebrating, the outcome had long felt inevitable.
Pakistan wasn’t outclassed — they simply ran into the best team in the draw. They earned their place in the final — and with the Prescott Development Team also reaching the Amateur final, Pakistan fielded two sides deep enough to contend across both draws. They will be back. India took bronze over Thailand; Padel Society Korea finished fifth.
Professional Male MVP: Jason Tamayo Lapidus (Philippines). Professional Female MVP: Joanna TaoYee Tan (Philippines).
The Amateur Draw: Paddle Babies No More
Eric Lee called it before the first ball was struck. “We are paddle babies here,” Taiwan’s captain said at the opening press conference. “Please have some mercy.” Five months after Taiwan opened its first padel court, göpadel went through the Amateur draw without losing a tie and won the final in a tiebreak.
The final told a different story than the week had suggested. Pakistan took the opening game. Taiwan’s women’s pair — dominant all tournament — levelled it, as they had every time. The deciding game went three sets, Pakistan led, Taiwan came back, and a tiebreak settled it. When it ended, the whole squad ran onto the court.
The Philippines won bronze against South Korea. The Racquet Garden Brunei Padel Team finished fifth in their debut appearance. Taiwan swept both individual Amateur honours in their first APPC appearance.
Amateur Male MVP: Chuan-Yu Chiu (Taiwan). Amateur Female MVP: Pei-Chuan Kao (Taiwan).
Manila as a Stage
Play Padel McKinley gave the competition a venue that matched its ambition — five covered courts, an air-conditioned café, and a crowd that peaked on finals day. “What we did was showcase what Filipinos can do in hosting,” said Jeff Cheng, President of Padel Pilipinas. “This is one of the best facilities in the world I’ve seen. We plan to host more tournaments here — it promotes not just the sport but the Philippines itself.”
Alex Domenech, co-founder of the Asia Pacific Padel Tour, reflected on what makes APPC stand apart: “The APPC is always special and unique because the players feel every match, and the team atmosphere is amazing. Players need to compete to improve — and the APPC is also where players, coaches, federations, and clubs meet each other. It raises the level and builds the community.”
Partners Powering the Cup
Enervon Fizz, the Official Energy & Immunity Drink of APPC 2026, headlined the third edition as title sponsor — running an on-site booth throughout the week where players and fans could sample its products between ties. Head brought its own activation to the grounds, letting the padel community get hands-on with its latest gear. Joma, the Official Technical Sponsor, along with Olympia Courts, Dafanews, PAGSS, Playform Movement Studio, Padel PRO Shop, and AlaxaXtra, rounded out the partners behind APPC 2026.
Final Results
Professional Draw
- Champion: Padel Pilipinas — Philippines
- 1st Runner-up: Prescott Development Team — Pakistan
- 2nd Runner-up: Ace Padel India Team — India
Amateur Draw
- Champion: göpadel — Taiwan
- 1st Runner-up: Prescott Development Team — Pakistan
- 2nd Runner-up: Padel Pilipinas — Philippines
MVPs
- Professional Male: Jason Tamayo Lapidus (Philippines)
- Professional Female: Joanna TaoYee Tan (Philippines)
- Amateur Male: Chuan-Yu Chiu (Taiwan)
- Amateur Female: Pei-Chuan Kao (Taiwan)
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