What is the golden point in padel?
The golden point is one deciding point played at deuce, and the pair that wins it wins the game. The receiving pair chooses whether to receive on the right side or the left side, and the two receiving players cannot swap positions. The FIP Rules of Padel list the golden point as one of three approved ways to score a game.
On this page
- How does the golden point work at deuce?
- Who chooses the side on a golden point?
- Why does padel use the golden point?
- Where do competitions use the golden point?
- What is the Star Point?
- How does the golden point differ from advantage scoring?
- What happens on a golden point in a mixed match?
- Where do these golden point rules come from?
How does the golden point work at deuce?
A padel game runs love, 15, 30, 40 and game. When both pairs hold three points, the umpire calls deuce. Under the golden point method the pair then play one more point. The winner of that point wins the game. There is no advantage, so the game cannot return to deuce. The FIP Rules of Padel also name this method no advantage.
| Point | Winner | The call | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Team A | 40-30 | Team A holds a game point. |
| 6 | Team B | 40-40 | The umpire calls deuce. |
| 7 | Team B | Game, Team B | Team B wins the golden point and the game. |
A game that ends on a golden point. Team A serves, so the score of Team A is called first.
The golden point changes the score only. The server keeps the normal two service attempts, and the serve stays underarm after a bounce.
Who chooses the side on a golden point?
The receiving pair chooses the side. The two receiving players decide whether the serve comes to the right side of the court or the left side. They must then keep their positions for that point, because the rules forbid a swap. The serving pair has no choice, and it must serve to the box the receivers select.
This choice is the reason the golden point matters so much in a close game. A pair normally puts its stronger return on the deciding point.
Why does padel use the golden point?
The golden point limits the length of a game. Under advantage scoring a single game can run for many points, because a pair must win two points in a row after deuce. Under the golden point a game ends after seven points at most.
| Method at deuce | Maximum points in one game | Can the game return to deuce? |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | No limit | Yes, any number of times |
| Star Point | 11 | Yes, twice |
| Golden point | 7 | No |
The golden point caps a game at seven points. The Star Point caps it at eleven.
A predictable game length helps a club hold a court booking to the hour. It also helps a broadcaster plan a match slot.
Where do competitions use the golden point?
The golden point is an official option in the FIP Rules of Padel, so any competition may apply it. It became familiar at the top level first. The World Padel Tour applied the golden point in its main tournaments from the 2020 season.
The professional picture changed for 2026. The FIP General Assembly approved the Star Point on 28 November 2025. The FIP and Premier Padel announced the change on 18 December 2025. From the 2026 season the Star Point applies in Premier Padel, the CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and FIP Beyond.
The golden point remains common below that level. Many clubs and leagues keep it, because it holds a match inside a booked court slot. Always confirm the method with the organiser before the first serve.
What is the Star Point?
The Star Point is a third method in the FIP Rules of Padel. It combines advantage scoring and the golden point. The pair play advantage a maximum of two times. If the score returns to deuce for a third time, one deciding point settles the game.
- At the first deuce the pair play a point. The winner holds advantage.
- If the pair with advantage wins the next point, it wins the game. If it loses, the score returns to deuce.
- At the second deuce the pair play a point for advantage again, with the same result.
- At the third deuce the pair play the Star Point. The winner of that point wins the game.
The receiving pair chooses the side for the Star Point, exactly as it does for the golden point.
How does the golden point differ from advantage scoring?
Advantage scoring needs two points in a row after deuce. The golden point needs one point. The table below sets the three methods against each other.
| Question | Advantage | Star Point | Golden point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points needed after deuce | Two in a row | Two in a row, or one at the third deuce | One |
| Who chooses the receiving side | Nobody. The order continues. | The receiving pair, on the Star Point | The receiving pair |
| Can receivers swap positions | Not applicable | No, on the Star Point | No |
| Deuce called again | Any number of times | A maximum of three times | Once only |
| Typical use in 2026 | Club play and some events | FIP professional competition | Club play, leagues and social matches |
The three methods for a game at deuce in the FIP Rules of Padel.
What happens on a golden point in a mixed match?
The FIP Rules of Padel add one condition for a mixed match. On the deciding point the player who receives must be the same sex as the server. The receiving players still cannot change positions to receive that serve. The same condition applies to the Star Point.
A scorekeeper must fix the method before the first serve, because a change in the middle of a match makes the record unreliable. PadelArc lets a player choose advantage or the golden point before the match starts, then applies the rule automatically. See what the app does.
Where do these golden point rules come from?
The International Padel Federation (FIP) publishes the Rules of Padel. Rule 1 lists Option 1 Advantage, Option 2 Star Point and Option 3 Golden Point. This page follows the edition applied from 1 January 2026.
Sources. FIP Rules of Padel, Rule 1, edition applied from 1 January 2026. FIP announcement of the Star Point, 18 December 2025, which records the General Assembly vote of 28 November 2025. The 2020 World Padel Tour start date comes from padel press reports, not from a FIP document. One sentence in the FIP golden point section says the winner of the deciding point wins the match. The parallel Star Point section says the winner takes the game, which is how referees apply it.
What else do people ask about the golden point?
What is the golden point in padel?
The golden point is one deciding point played at deuce. The pair that wins the golden point wins the game. The FIP Rules of Padel also call this method no advantage.
Who chooses the side on a golden point?
The receiving pair chooses whether to receive the serve on the right side or the left side of the court. The two receiving players cannot swap positions for that point.
Does the server get two serves on a golden point?
Yes. The golden point changes the score only. The server keeps the normal two service attempts, and a fault on the first serve leaves one serve.
Do professional padel players use the golden point?
From the 2026 season the FIP applies the Star Point in Premier Padel, the CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and FIP Beyond. The golden point stays an approved option for other competitions.
Does the golden point apply inside a tie-break?
No. The FIP tie-break rule needs a margin of two points, so a tie-break at 6-6 continues until one pair leads by two. The golden point applies to a game only.
What is the difference between the golden point and the Star Point?
The golden point settles the game at the first deuce. The Star Point allows advantage twice first, and it plays the deciding point only at the third deuce.
Is the golden point the same as no-ad scoring in tennis?
The mechanics match. The ITF Rules of Tennis describe a No-Ad method where a deciding point is played at deuce and the receiver chooses the side. Tennis and padel use different names.