It's 40-40. One point left in the game. The other pair have a quick word and say "we'll take it on the left." That's the golden point, and the choice they just made matters more than it looks.
Below is the rule as the International Padel Federation (FIP) writes it in the rulebook that has applied since 1 January 2026. After that, how to make the call when it's your pair choosing.
The golden point at a glance
Score is 40-40
"Deuce. Golden point."
|
v
Receiving pair chooses
right box or left box
(no swapping, so this
also picks who receives)
|
v
Server serves diagonally
into the chosen box
|
v
One point. Winner takes
the game. No advantage.
Mixed doubles: the receiver
must be the same sex as the
server, so the side is set.
That's the whole rule. The rest of this page is the detail behind each line.
What the rulebook actually says
The FIP rules give three ways to score a game. Option 1 is advantage, the way tennis does it. Option 2 is the Star Point. Option 3 is the golden point, which the rules also call "no advantage".
Under the golden point, the score runs 15, 30, 40, game. If both pairs reach three points each, deuce is called and a single deciding point is played. Three things apply to it:
- The receiving pair chooses whether to receive on the right or the left side of the court.
- The receiving pair can't change positions to receive it.
- In mixed matches, the receiver has to be the same sex as the server. The receivers still can't change positions.
Win that point and you win the game. There's no second chance.
Picking a side is picking a player
This is where the side choice gets serious. Under Rule 8, the receiving pair decide at the start of each set who receives first, and that order can't be changed during the set. So each of you takes serve in the same box all set. Whoever has been receiving in the right box receives on the right. Whoever has been receiving in the left box receives on the left.
So when your pair say "right" or "left" at the golden point, you aren't really choosing a patch of court. You're choosing which of you returns the most important serve of the game.
The golden point rule locks this in. Nobody swaps for the deciding point. Your partner can't step across to take it, however good their return has been.
How to make the call
The rulebook stops at "the receiving pair will choose". Everything after that is judgement. These are the questions to run through at 40-40, in this order.
- Who's returning better today? Not in general. Today. If one of you has missed the last few returns, give the ball to the other one.
- Where has this server been landing it? By the first deuce you've seen a handful of their serves. If one box keeps getting their best serve, there's a case for receiving in the other.
- What comes after the return? The return is only the first shot. If the server's partner keeps stepping in to cut off returns on one side, factor that in.
- Decide fast. Agree a default before the match, something like "left unless we say otherwise". A long debate at the back of the court only gives the server more time to settle.
On the serving side you don't get a say on the box. Use those few seconds to agree where the serve is going and who's covering the middle.
Mixed doubles: the choice is made for you
In mixed, the FIP rules say the receiver on the deciding point must be the same sex as the server. Put that next to the no-swapping rule and the side is effectively decided already. The serve goes to whichever box the matching player covers.
So in mixed, the receiving pair don't really get to pick. Worth knowing before someone tries to claim the side they prefer.
No golden point in a tie-break
The golden point settles games, not tie-breaks. A tie-break is counted in plain numbers, and it goes to the first pair to reach seven with a two-point margin. At 6-6 in the tie-break you play on until one pair is two clear.
So if your group plays golden point, 40-40 is one point. A tie-break at 6-6 is not. If you want to see where tie-breaks fit in a whole set, my padel scoring guide walks through one, point by point.
Gold point, golden point, Star Point: a dated note
Older copies of the rules, like the 2017 version on the LTA's website, call it the "gold point". The wording on choosing a side and the mixed rule is the same.
The newer format is the Star Point. Checked on padelfip.com on 19 October 2026: the FIP General Assembly approved it on 28 November 2025. The FIP announced on 18 December 2025 that from 2026 it applies in Premier Padel, the CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and the amateur FIP Beyond circuit. It was set to debut at FIP Bronze Melbourne (5 to 11 January 2026), with its Premier Padel debut at the Riyadh P1 (9 to 14 February 2026). The FIP's stated aim is to cap the number of points a game can run to.
Under the Star Point you play up to two rounds of advantage first. If neither pair closes the game out, one deciding point is played with the same rule as the golden point: receivers pick right or left, and nobody swaps. So when you watch the pros this season, that last point should look familiar. My padel rules sheet explains the Star Point in full, and the guide to watching Premier Padel in the UK covers where to see it. Padelism is not affiliated with Premier Padel or the FIP.
Which one should your group play?
That's up to you. The rules list all three. Advantage can run on, the golden point is one swing, and the Star Point sits between them. Pick one when you book the court and tell the group. Nobody wants that conversation at 40-40 with the ball in someone's pocket.
If you're still learning the basics around it, like serving, ends and walls, start with how to play padel.
After the last point
Every golden point gets played again at least once, usually over a drink afterwards, with both pairs sure they'd have won it. That's where the Padel & Pints tee belongs. The name does the rest.
The fabric is heavy: 305 g/m2, all cotton, with an oversized cut. Take your usual size for the roomy look, or one size down for a regular fit. One is £48. Add any other £48 heavyweight tee and checkout drops the pair to £90 on its own (see the 2 for £90 range), which is over the £75 mark for free UK delivery. Wear it to the bar, not on court. Every other design sits in tees.
FAQ
Who chooses the side on a golden point in padel? The receiving pair. Under the FIP rules, they pick whether to receive on the right or the left side of the court. The serving pair have no say. The server then serves diagonally into the chosen box.
Can you swap sides to receive the golden point? No. The receiving pair can't change positions for the deciding point. The player who has been receiving in the right box all set takes it on the right, and the same for the left. That's why choosing a side really means choosing who receives.
How does the golden point work in mixed padel? The FIP rules say the receiver on the deciding point must be the same sex as the server, and the receivers still can't change positions. In practice that settles the side, because only one player on the receiving pair can take it.
Is there a golden point in a padel tie-break? No. The golden point only applies to games. A tie-break is won by the first pair to seven points with a two-point margin, so at 6-6 you keep playing until one pair is two clear.
