Three days of elite international padel came to Moira, and Padel54 delivered. FIP Silver: the highest grade of tournament the club has hosted to date, and the first taste of the international circuit for a lot of players who'd never seen it up close.
Run in partnership with R3 Sport as the R3 Bullpadel Cup, backed by Cupra and Bullpadel, the event brought FIP Tour 2026 ranked pairs to Northern Ireland for the first time. Draws were tight from the first round, groups gave way to knockouts, and every court was full for the best part of three days straight.
Padel54 has hosted plenty of tournaments, but nothing at this level. The step up showed in the standard on court: quicker hands at the net, smarter lob play, points built over ten and twelve shots rather than won in three. For the club's own players and members watching from the sidelines, it was as much a masterclass as a competition.
A packed house
What stood out wasn't just the padel. It was the atmosphere. Members turned out in numbers to watch, Alma54 stayed busy from morning through finals, and the club had the feel of a proper tour stop rather than a club fixture. That's exactly the reputation Padel54 set out to build when the courts opened.
The finals, played out in front of the biggest crowd the club has drawn for a tournament, capped three days that will be talked about at the club for a long time yet. Thank you to R3 Sport, Cupra and Bullpadel for backing an event of this size, and to every player, volunteer and member who made it happen.
