FIP Platinum Lyon 2026: stability over revolution
Lionel Roux knows professional sport from several angles: as a former tennis pro, as a former captain of the French Davis Cup team and for more than ten years as director of the Open Sopra Steria in Lyon. With the FIP Platinum Lyon he has also built a padel tournament whose third edition will take place from 21 to 27 September 2026 at the Palais des Sports de Gerland. After the rapid rise from FIP Gold to FIP Platinum within just one year, the organiser deliberately focuses on continuity rather than rushed expansion.
Three more years as the goal
Even before the third edition begins, Roux is already working on the future of the event. Talks with the main partners are well advanced, especially with naming partner Inelys. Discussions with the City of Lyon are also continuing, albeit at the pace typical of institutions. Roux stresses that both sides are pleased with the first two editions and that the tournament should be firmly anchored in Lyon's sporting calendar.
Specifically, the organiser is aiming for a new three-year cycle for 2027, 2028 and 2029. The aim is to establish FIP Platinum Lyon not only as a one-off highlight but as a fixed fixture in the French and international padel calendar. The message is clear: sustainability before show effects.
A strategic change of date
A key novelty of the 2026 edition is the shift in the calendar. Instead of the autumn holidays around All Saints' Day, the tournament will now take place immediately after the Paris Major. Roux justifies the move with practical and sporting arguments: during school holidays it was harder to host companies and partners. The new slot after the Major in Paris suits the third edition better and also makes it easier for top international players to travel.
Lyon is thus deliberately positioning itself in an attractive window of the professional calendar. Proximity to a major Premier Padel event can increase visibility and strengthen the field without the tournament losing its own character.
The calendar shift is therefore more than an organisational detail. It is meant to recalibrate the link between the international tour calendar, local business and the spectator experience. Roux sees the phase after the Paris Major as a chance to use momentum without colliding with school holiday periods that previously made it harder for sponsors and corporate clients.
Smaller main draw, better experience
There are also sporting and logistical adjustments: the main draw will feature 28 pairs instead of 32. Four seeded pairs remain, but the decisive point is that all matches can be played at the Palais des Sports. Last year part of the first round had to be relocated. Roux wants a more consistent atmosphere for spectators and partners and to strengthen the arena as the central venue.
At the same time he is pushing the event identity. Padel should be experienced as a spectacle sport – less rigidly standardised than tennis, more with an event dynamic he compares to the NBA. Plans include a redesigned partners' village, more entertainment and several evening matches to create a true event atmosphere.
Cutting the draw to 28 pairs may look like a step back at first glance, but for Roux it is a quality gain. Fewer external venues mean clearer operations, stronger on-site brand visibility and a continuous show feeling. The tournament should not feel fragmented, but like one coherent event within the Gerland complex.
No rushed steps
Despite the rapid rise, Roux warns against speed without foundations. After one Gold and one Platinum year, the Platinum status now needs to be confirmed. A Platinum tournament means a major financial investment; every year the Palais des Sports is essentially rebuilt. Before revolutionising, stability must come first.
This attitude runs through all his event work. With the Open Sopra Steria he has learned that sustainable development takes time. Many organisers have promised too much and failed to deliver. His team prefers a step-by-step approach: better one clear advance each year than three steps forward and four back.
Finding a place in a crowded sports city
Lyon is already packed with football, rugby, basketball and tennis. Establishing a lasting place there is difficult and requires patience. Still, Roux sees encouraging signs: when children remind their parents about tickets, or partners report that clients already ask for invitations for the following year. Such moments show him that the tournament is gradually becoming part of the city's habits.
Player field and French talent
Two months before the start, the player list is not yet final. Priority goes to Alix Collombon, France's number one, who should compete under the best possible conditions. For wild cards, Roux wants to promote young French talents – in line with the philosophy he has followed in tennis. The dream of Premier Padel remains secondary for now: new Premier Padel licences are currently unavailable. The Platinum format already offers a strong level with players ranked between the world top 10 and top 20. First, what has been built must be consolidated.
Overall, Roux paints the picture of a tournament that has matured and now wants to lock in its form. Between partner commitment, city dialogue, sporting level and event atmosphere, stability remains the guiding principle – and thus the foundation for the next years of FIP Platinum Lyon.
So FIP Platinum Lyon heads into its third edition with a new date, a more compact main draw and a clear ambition to establish padel in Lyon as a sustainable spectacle – without losing solid ground.
