"British Padel Tour" can sound like it's only for the top pairs at a big London venue. They are the top rung. But it sits on a five-step ladder that anyone with a free LTA Advantage membership can climb, starting at a local venue.
Here's each grade, the real ranking points, the shape of the season and the path from entry form to your first ranking.
Last checked: 19 October 2026, against the LTA's padel competition pages and its 2026 Referee and Organiser Guide.
The ladder, Grade 5 up to Grade 1
LTA padel tournaments run from Grade 5 at the bottom to Grade 1 at the top. The top two grades are the LTA Padel British Tour, which the LTA calls "the highest level of domestic padel competition in Great Britain".
| Grade | LTA name | Level (LTA wording) | How you get in | Draw and scoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Local Tour | Beginner | First come, first served | Compass draw, one tie-break set per match |
| 4 | County Tour | Beginner to intermediate | Pair's combined LTA ranking | Compass draw, FAST4 |
| 3 | Regional Tour | Intermediate to advanced | Pair's combined LTA ranking | Knockout with consolation or round robin, FAST4 |
| 2 | British Tour | Advanced | FIP ranking, then LTA ranking | Knockout with consolation or compass, two tie-break sets plus a match tie-break, Star Point |
| 1 | British Tour | Advanced to professional | FIP ranking, then LTA ranking | Knockout with consolation or compass, two tie-break sets plus a match tie-break, Star Point |
Three more rules from the LTA's organiser guide:
- Draw size. Grades 4 and 5 can run with 8 pairs. Grades 1 to 3 need at least 16. If fewer than 3 pairs play, the event earns no ranking points.
- Scoring. From 1 January 2026, the FIP's Star Point is mandatory at Grades 1 and 2. A game that reaches a third deuce is settled on one deciding point. Referees can choose to use it at Grades 3 to 5. Our padel rules guide covers standard scoring.
- Prize money. Grade 1 must offer a pot of at least £4,000, with the LTA contributing. The LTA recommends prize money at Grade 2 as well, but leaves it to the venue.
How LTA ranking points work
Every graded event, from 5 to 1, earns ranking points. Three rules do most of the work:
- Best six results in 52 weeks. Your ranking adds up your six best results from the last year.
- Calculated weekly. The LTA updates the list once a week.
- One set of points per event. If you play qualifying and the main draw at the same event, you only score once.
Here is what the points table the LTA links to pays each player, for a selection of finishing places:
| Finish | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 4,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 300 |
| Runner-up | 3,000 | 2,260 | 760 | 380 | 240 |
| Semi-final (4th) | 2,200 | 1,660 | 560 | 280 | 180 |
| Quarter-final (8th) | 1,600 | 1,200 | 400 | 200 | 120 |
Two things jump out. A Grade 2 quarter-final is worth more than winning a Grade 3. And six Grade 5 titles add up to 1,800 points, which is less than one Grade 2 runner-up finish. Grade 5 results build the ranking that Grade 4 and Grade 3 draws use to pick their entries. They won't carry you to the top on their own.
Points go to each player, but entry and seeding use the pair's combined ranking. At Grades 1 and 2, international results come first. Pairs where both players hold FIP points are accepted first, then pairs with one FIP and one LTA ranking, then pairs with two LTA rankings. Pairs with an unranked player come after that.
How the season builds
The British Tour runs across the calendar year at venues all over the country. On the LTA's 2026 list there are 7 Grade 1 events and 22 Grade 2 events. The Grade 2s started in Leeds in January, and the first Grade 1 was at Stratford in late February.
In the autumn the stakes rise. The LTA Padel National Championships were held at Rocket Padel Bristol from 1 to 4 October 2026, open only to players with a British passport or birth certificate, with £1,500 per pair for the Open winners. Then the last two Grade 1s close the year: the HOP Pro Finals at Padium, Canary Wharf (19 to 22 November) and Rocket Padel Ilford (11 to 13 December).
Why do late events matter? The best-six rule. A Grade 1 title pays 4,000 points to each player, and it stays on the ranking for 52 weeks. One deep run in November can lift a pair's LTA ranking for most of the following season. For exact dates and venues near you, see our UK padel events calendar.
Entering your first Grade 5
The LTA recommends Grade 5 for beginners. You need an LTA Advantage membership number, which the LTA says is free and takes a couple of minutes to get. Then find a Grade 5 Local Tour event on the LTA competitions portal and open its fact sheet. Four things on it matter:
- The closing deadline. The LTA's guide says closing and withdrawal deadlines can't be changed, and closing deadlines are only extended in exceptional cases.
- The withdrawal deadline. Pull out before it and you get no withdrawal points. Pull out after it and you may get them.
- The entry fee. The organiser sets it. The LTA recommends £15 to £25 per player.
- The reserve list. Grade 5 fills in the order people enter. Miss out and you go on the reserve list, and you move up if someone withdraws.
No partner? The LTA says most of its padel competitions will let you enter alone and pair you with someone on the day. Message the organiser before you enter to check.
The LTA requires organisers to use an LTA registered venue, so ask your own club whether it hosts graded events. A Grade 5 can run on a single court.
From entry to ranking: the timeline
Here is the order things happen, from the referee's duties in the LTA's guide.
- Withdrawal deadline passes. The referee makes the draw as soon as possible after it.
- Draw goes up. It's published on the portal, then you get an email with your first match time. Confirm it, because the referee chases anyone still showing "Waiting for Confirmation".
- On the day. The referee briefs all players before play on the scoring format, the number of matches and fair play. In a Grade 5 compass draw, every pair plays at least three matches. Our tournament day kit list covers the gaps between them and what to pack.
- Results go in. The referee must submit results no later than 48 hours after the event finishes.
- Rankings update. The LTA calculates rankings once a week, so your points show up after the next update. Your first result is now one of your best six.
What to bring
The full packing list for a long day of short matches is on the tournament day kit list, so this page keeps it to two pieces. Three matches on the same feet means a lot of stopping and turning, which is what our £14 grip socks are for (sizing is in the grip socks guide). For sitting out a round, the fleeced Mk1 Box Hoodie costs £75, so it clears the free UK delivery line by itself. Order a fortnight before the event, as our clothing is made to order.
FAQ
Do I need a partner to enter an LTA padel tournament? Not always. The LTA says most of its padel competitions let you enter without a partner and team you up on the day. Ask the organiser before you enter.
How many ranking points do I get for winning a Grade 5? Each player gets 300 points, on the points table the LTA links to. A runner-up gets 240 and a semi-finalist 180.
Does my club or app rating count towards my LTA ranking? No. The LTA says a rating estimates skill and clubs use it to organise coaching and matches, while a ranking comes only from points earned in graded LTA events. Our padel levels guide explains how app levels work.
What happens if I pull out after entering? Before the withdrawal deadline, you can withdraw without withdrawal points. After it, you may get withdrawal points, and at the 2026 National Championships the entry fee was kept too.
Is the British Padel Tour the same as Premier Padel? No. The LTA Padel British Tour is Britain's domestic tour, run by the LTA. Premier Padel is a separate tour. Grade 1 and 2 entry does use FIP rankings, though, so players with international points get in first.
Padelism is not affiliated with Premier Padel, the FIP or the LTA.
