Week of April 19–25, 2026 | Published by JF2 Academy
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JF2 Academy: Elite Padel Training for All Ages
Los Angeles, CA · Miami, FL
The definitive weekly intelligence briefing for U.S. collegiate padel — students, athletes, coaches, administrators and padel professionals.
📊 Executive Summary — Week of April 19, 2026
- IOC Executive Board confirms padel remains under formal review for LA28 demonstration sport consideration following Premier Padel’s Olympic-readiness submission
- USPA Collegiate Division announces expanded 2026–27 University Padel Championship circuit — 25 sanctioned campus events
- NCAA Emerging Sports Committee completes Q1 review of padel; pathway to “Emerging Sport for Women” status under formal evaluation
- University of Miami and Florida International University (FIU) announce inaugural collegiate scholarship-backed padel programs for 2026–27
- Pro Padel League (PPL) launches “College to Pro” development pipeline — 4 universities selected as pilot academies
- National Padel League (NPL) opens University Division for Spring 2026 — 12 founding college teams confirmed
- 80+ U.S. universities now have active padel clubs (up from 22 in 2024) per USPA Collegiate Census
- Job openings: 35+ college-level padel positions posted across coaching, operations and academic roles this week
🏅 Section 1 — Padel as an Olympic Sport: This Week’s Developments
1.1 — IOC Confirms Padel Remains Under Active Review for LA28
The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board reaffirmed this week that padel remains under formal evaluation for inclusion as a demonstration sport at Los Angeles 2028. The decision follows the official submission by Premier Padel and the International Padel Federation (FIP) of their Olympic-readiness dossier, covering anti-doping integration, gender-balanced participation, and host-city infrastructure feasibility.