Star Point: how padel’s new scoring system works

Since February 2026, matches on the professional tour are no longer decided with a straight golden point at every 40-40. The International Padel Federation (FIP) approved the Star Point, a system that combines traditional advantages with a final deciding point. We explain how it works and whether it affects your matches.

What the Star Point is

It is a way of scoring games that sits halfway between classic advantages and the golden point:

1. At 40-40 for the first time, advantage is played, as always.
2. If it returns to deuce, a second advantage is played.
3. If the game is still tied after those two advantages, the next point decides the game: that is the Star Point.

This avoids endless games without completely losing the excitement of advantages.

Since when and where it applies

The FIP assembly approved it unanimously on 28 November 2025. It debuted at the Riyadh Season P1, the first Premier Padel tournament of 2026, on 9 February, and it is also used on the CUPRA FIP Tour. The federation presents it as a way to preserve padel’s tradition and look after players’ physical condition. Source: FIP.

Do I have to play Star Point at my club?

Not necessarily. In friendly matches each group decides how to score. In amateur leagues and tournaments, each organiser’s rules apply: ask before you start whether you are playing advantages, golden point or Star Point.

Other rules that changed in 2026

The 2026 FIP rules bring more changes, as reported by Padel Addict:

• Serve: it is enough for one foot to touch the service line or be behind it. The ball is still hit below the waist.
• Warm-up: reduced from five to three minutes before the match.
• Safety cord: if it breaks during a point, the player loses that point.
• Racket holes: those in the outer area need not be round, provided they do not exceed 20 mm.

How it affects you as a player

With the Star Point, important games last a little longer and fitness counts. A manageable racket helps you stay fresh until the end: if you feel your racket tires you, see our guide to weight and balance. And to understand the basic rules of the game, read our guide to padel rules.