The Indian streaming platform FanCode has secured exclusive broadcast rights for the Generali Hexagon Cup 2026, bringing the premier padel team tournament to audiences in India. The event, set for January 28 to February 1, 2026, at Madrid's Caja Mágica, will showcase top global players and innovative team formats. This deal aims to boost padel's growing popularity among urban Indian viewers.
The Generali Hexagon Cup stands out as padel's leading team-based competition, drawing 18 of the world's top 20 players, including eight from the men's top 10 and the entire women's top 10. Notable participants include Agustín Tapia, Arturo Coello, Gemma Triay, and Delfina Brea. The tournament unfolds over four days with eight franchise teams, each drafted to include male, female, and Next Gen athletes, fostering diverse pairings and strategic depth rarely seen in regular seasons.
Team owners add star power, featuring celebrities from sports and entertainment such as Eva Longoria with Eleven Eleven, Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly owning X Padel, footballer Robert Lewandowski's RL9 Padel Team, boxers Anthony Joshua and tennis star Andy Murray sharing AD/vantage Padel Team, and former player Kun Agüero's Krü Padel by Taktika. Finals are scheduled for Sunday, emphasizing competition and entertainment.
FanCode's acquisition underscores its push to expand emerging sports in India, where padel has surged in urban areas like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, and Pune. Industry estimates suggest around one million Indians have tried the sport, mainly affluent participants seeking social and fitness outlets.
Yannick Colaco, FanCode co-founder, stated, “Padel is at a very exciting inflection point in India. We’re seeing strong interest from urban, affluent audiences who are discovering the sport both as participants and as fans. By bringing the Hexagon Cup 2026 exclusively to FanCode, we want to give Indian viewers access to the very best of global padel, the biggest stars, innovative formats, and world-class production, and play a role in accelerating the sport’s growth in the country.”
Astrid Thams, Commercial Managing Director at Hexagon, added, “Bringing the Hexagon Cup to India is a strategic step in establishing padel as a truly global sport. We want more people to experience the excitement of our tournaments, the talent of the world’s best players, and the innovation of our team-based format.”
Tim Godfrey, Strategic Advisor for Broadcast and Media at the Hexagon Cup, noted, “India is one of the most exciting growth markets for padel right now, with strong momentum in participation and a rapidly emerging fan culture. Partnering with FanCode is a powerful step for the Hexagon Cup, allowing us to reach new audiences through a platform that truly understands how Indian sports fans consume content today.”
This coverage positions FanCode as a key hub for international sports, enhancing access to padel's global elite.
