Hexagon leaves Madrid: four venues, eight teams and goodbye to sets

It was born in 2024. Three editions, all three in Madrid.

In 2027 it leaves home.

The Hexagon Cup becomes the Hexagon World Series. Four events, three continents. And an official FIP team circuit. The first one.

It was presented this Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. With Enrique Buenaventura, the founder of the Hexagon Cup, and Gary Davidson. They are the two co-founders of the new circuit.

The calendar

• Madrid (Caja Mágica): 21 to 24 January.
• North America: March.
• Scandinavia: June.
• Abu Dhabi: 21 to 24 October.

The cities in North America and Scandinavia haven't been announced yet.

Madrid opens, as always. Abu Dhabi closes. That's where the first season champion will be crowned.

Seven teams and one still to be revealed

The two that have shared the titles are back:

• AD/vantage Padel Team, backed by Andy Murray, Anthony Joshua, Dani Vallverdú and Arran Yentob. Champions in 2024 and 2026.
• KRÜ Padel by Taktika, led by Kun Agüero, with Gabriel Pérez Krieb and Edu Conde. Champions in 2025.

They met in February's final. Murray's team won, 2-0.

And these five:

• ElevenEleven Team USA, backed by Eva Longoria.
• Rafa Nadal Academy Team.
• Team Bella Puerto Rico, backed by María Esteve and Carlos López-Lay.
• X Padel, backed by Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly and businessman Loïc Féry.
• Dalma Team, the new one. It will represent Abu Dhabi all season.

The eighth will be announced separately.

Each team has a men's pair and a women's pair. Both matches are worth the same. And prize money is equal for men and women.

Each team's players will be revealed over the coming weeks.

Goodbye to sets

Here's the big one.

No games. No sets.

Every match is played as the best of five super tie-breaks. The first four, to 10 points. The fifth, if needed, to 6.

And if a super tie-break reaches 10-10? Star Point. One point and it's over.

It was designed with the FIP. The idea, according to the organisers: more dynamic matches and more decisive moments.

How you win it

At each event, two groups of four teams. Each tie, one men's match and one women's match. Then a final round based on each team's position.

What they haven't explained yet is how a tie that ends 1-1 is decided.

And for the first time, the four events count towards an overall standings table:

Whoever has the most points after Abu Dhabi will be the Hexagon World Series team world champion.

Three months

In 2026 the Hexagon Cup drew more than 37,000 spectators in Madrid.

In January it returns to the Caja Mágica. With the new format.

Some will love it. Others will struggle to recognise the padel they know.

We'll see in Madrid. From 21 to 24 January.

— Luis González