Local padel tournaments
Socials, Americanos and Club Tournaments
Local padel tournaments are where most people get their first taste of competition. In fact, they are cheap, friendly and run every week at clubs across the UK, usually as Americanos or socials where you turn up alone and get mixed in with other players. So this page explains the formats and shows what is on at a few clubs this month.
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Heading to your first social?
- At first, you do not need an expensive racket. Our best padel rackets for beginners covers good ones that will last your first year.
- In fact, trainers with grip matter more than the racket. Our best padel shoes guide explains why.
Local Padel Tournaments: The Formats Explained
Americano: you swap partners every round and keep your own points total, so you can enter on your own. As a result, it is the most common format at club socials. If you want to run one with friends, our free padel Americano generator sorts the rounds for you.
Mexicano: it starts like an Americano. After the first round, however, players are paired by their scores, so the games get closer as the session goes on.
Move up, move down: winners move up a court and losers move down, with the top court as the prize. Because it is quick, it works well for mixed levels.
Socials: a looser version of the above, often with a drink afterwards. Also, many clubs split them by Playtomic level, so you play people of a similar standard.
What Is On This Month
| Club | City | What is on | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mickleover Padel Club | Derby | Over 50s socials, Ladies Americano, Padel and Pints Mexicano | £10 to £15 |
| Pure Padel Manchester | Manchester | Coffee Club, ladies socials, Over 60s beginner social | £12 to £20 |
| Padel Social Club Paddington | London | Beginner, intermediate and high intermediate socials | £25 to £45 |
| Stratford Padel Club | London | LTA Grade 5 tournaments on 22 Nov and 4 Dec | Via the LTA |
Prices and times come from each club’s Playtomic page and website in early November 2026. However, spaces go quickly at the weekend, so book a few days ahead.
Derby: Mickleover Padel Club
Mickleover runs something almost every day. For example, there are Over 50s socials several mornings a week, a Ladies Americano on Monday evenings and Padel and Pints Mexicanos on Fridays. In addition, it splits its Americanos into beginner, improver, intermediate and advanced sessions, which is ideal if you are new. Overall, most cost £10 to £15. See our East Midlands padel courts page for other clubs nearby.
Manchester: Pure Padel
Pure Padel in Manchester leans towards relaxed, social sessions. For instance, its Monday Coffee Club costs £12, and there are ladies socials on Saturdays and Sundays. There is also an Over 60s beginner social, which is rare and worth knowing about. Find more clubs on our Manchester padel courts page.
Kit for regular players
- Once you play every week, though, a better racket makes sense. Raquex is a UK brand worth a look, and our code PADELREVIEW gets you 10% off at Padel Boost.
London: Paddington and Stratford
Padel Social Club in Paddington sorts its socials by level, from beginner (0 to 1.5) up to high intermediate (2.5 to 3.5). Weekday sessions cost £25, while Saturday mornings are £45. Meanwhile, Stratford Padel Club in east London hosts two LTA Grade 5 tournaments, on 22 November and 4 December. Our London padel courts page lists every club in the city.
LTA Grade 5: Your First Ranked Tournament
When socials start to feel easy, the next step is a Grade 5 event. These are the LTA’s entry level tournaments, run at local clubs on a first come, first served basis, with no ranking needed. From there, Grade 4 county events and Grade 3 regional events use LTA Padel rankings to decide who gets in.
To enter, you first need an LTA Advantage account. Then search the LTA competition finder for events near you. For the bigger events, see our padel tournaments UK page.
How to Find a Social Near You
Most clubs list their socials and Americanos in the Playtomic app, under Competitions on the club page. There, you can filter by date and level, and pay when you book. If your club uses its own booking system, the socials are usually on its website.
Start with our padel courts near me finder, then check each club’s competitions tab.
Before the day
- Clubs rarely supply balls for warm ups. Our best padel balls UK guide covers the ones that keep their bounce.
Local Padel Tournaments FAQs
Can I enter a local padel tournament on my own?
Yes. Americanos and most socials are built for people who turn up alone, because you change partners every round.
What level do I need?
None for beginner socials and Grade 5 events. Even so, check the level shown on Playtomic so you play people of a similar standard.
Sources: Mickleover Padel Club, Pure Padel Manchester, Padel Social Club Paddington and Stratford Padel Club.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Barnt Green Sports Club padel courts by Thomas Roberts and Regent’s Park padel court by David Hawgood (both CC BY-SA 2.0), Manchester Town Hall by Juliux and Derby Cathedral by Nick Moyes (both CC BY-SA 3.0).