Sheffield & District Padel League — Pilot Rules 2026

The Sheffield & District Padel League is operated as a pilot competition for the 2026 season, running from 10 May to 12 July 2026. The purpose of the pilot is to test a centrally hosted league format and inform the future development of padel competition within Sheffield & District.

The league operates the following divisions:

• Open Division 1 (8 teams)
• Open Division 2 (12 teams)
• Open Division 3 (4 teams)
• Women’s Division (8 teams)

There will be no promotion or relegation during the pilot season.

Teams may field between 4 and 12 players across the three fixtures on a match day. There is no requirement to register a squad. Players may compete above their normal division where required to enable a team to fulfil a fixture. A player who plays up a division is not permanently tied to that higher division and may subsequently return to their original division. The organisers reserve the right to intervene if playing up is used in a way that undermines competitive balance. Players may represent more than one team within the same club or venue but may not represent more than one club or venue in the league.

Matches are played on centrally hosted match days at appointed venues. On each match day four teams compete at a venue across two courts, with each team playing three team fixtures. Match play typically takes place between 12:00 and 17:00. Match days are primarily hosted by Club de Padel and Play Padel.

Each team fixture consists of two rubbers: A Pair v A Pair and B Pair v B Pair. A player must not play in both the A and B pairs within the same fixture. If a player plays in either pair in one fixture, they are not restricted to a specific pair in subsequent fixtures on the same match day.

On each court, matches shall be played in the following order:

1. A Pair match
2. B Pair match
3. Deciding Super Tie-Break (if required)

Two team fixtures will run concurrently across the two courts. Teams are expected to be ready to commence matches promptly.

Matches are played as best of three sets to 6 games, golden point at deuce, tie-break at 6–6. If sets are split 1–1, a 10-point match tie-break is played instead of a third set.

If the two rubbers are split 1–1, each team nominates one player from the A pair and one from the B pair to contest a super tie-break to 10 points. The super tie-break is won by two clear points, with sudden death at 9–9. The winner of the super tie-break wins the team fixture.

Matches must run continuously. No more than five minutes may elapse between the end of one match and the start of the warm-up for the next. Where earlier matches overrun, decisions on shortened formats will be made collaboratively by the team captains and/or a league or venue representative.

Lateness penalties apply as follows:

• 5 minutes late — loss of warm-up
• 15 minutes late — loss of first set
• 30 minutes late — loss of match

Each team must bring two new tubes of padel balls per match day. A new tube of balls will be used for each fixture: A Pair match, B Pair match, and Deciding Super Tie-Break if required. As part of the pilot, Dunlop have kindly provided balls and each team will receive one tube of Dunlop balls for match day use.

League tables are maintained and displayed via the league website. A team fixture win = 2 points, a loss = 0 points. Teams are ranked by:

1. Total points
2. Games won
3. Fewest games lost
4. Head-to-head result where applicable

Games won and lost are calculated from all completed fixtures including deciding super tie-breaks where played.

Team captains are responsible for submitting match results on the day of play. Captains will be provided with a unique identifier to submit results via the league website. Scoresheets will be available at host venues for captains who wish to record scores and obtain signatures for reference in the event of any dispute.

The league is conducted in line with the LTA Code of Conduct (January 2025). Further information can be found here. Team captains are responsible for the conduct of their players. Any breach of rules or dispute shall be referred to the league organisers. During the pilot season the organisers’ decision shall be final and binding.

As the league is operated as a pilot, the organisers reserve the right to make reasonable on-the-day decisions and minor procedural adjustments where necessary.

The match fee is £100 per team per match day, payable via Playtomic by the team captain by midday on the Thursday prior to the match day. Teams failing to complete payment by the deadline may be treated as defaulting.

It is the responsibility of teams to fulfil all scheduled fixtures. A team unable to fulfil a fixture shall forfeit that fixture and the opposing team shall be awarded the win. Where part of a fixture cannot be fulfilled, the affected rubber shall be awarded 6–0, 6–0 to the opposing team. Further consequences may be applied at the discretion of the organisers.