Star Point is a 2026 padel scoring option that changes what happens after 40–40. Instead of playing advantage points indefinitely, a pair gets two advantage chances; if neither settles the game, one final Star Point decides it. That is different from Golden Point, which decides the game at the first deuce. The format for your match depends on its competition rules, so do not assume every social or club match uses Star Point.
This guide is for players and coaches who have heard the new term and want to be ready for a match. In padel scoring, 40–40 (also called deuce) means both pairs have won three points in the game.
What is the difference between the three scoring formats?
The FIP Rules of Padel effective from 1 January 2026 list three options for scoring a game. The key difference is how many chances follow the first 40–40.
| Format | What happens at 40–40? | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | A pair must win two points in a row. If it loses the point after taking advantage, the score returns to deuce. This can repeat. | No single deciding point is built in. |
| Golden Point | The next point is decisive. | The receiving pair chooses the side to receive on; it cannot swap its receiving positions for that point. |
| Star Point | The pairs play through two advantage sequences. If neither pair wins the game in those sequences, a final Star Point is played. | It has a set end-point, but it is not decided on the first deuce. |
The 15–30–40 count before deuce is familiar in all three systems. The difference is the sequence after both pairs reach 40. A FIP 2026 event rulebook also lists the umpire calls for Advantage, Golden Point and Star Point, including the final call of “Game” after the deciding point.
How does a Star Point game unfold?
Here is one example, starting at 40–40:
- Pair A wins the next point: Advantage 1, Pair A.
- Pair B wins the next point: the score returns to Deuce 2.
- Pair B wins the next point: Advantage 2, Pair B.
- Pair A wins the next point: the score reaches Deuce 3, followed by the Star Point.
- Pair A wins the Star Point and takes the game.
If the pair with Advantage 1 or Advantage 2 wins its next point, it wins the game there. Only when each advantage is cancelled does play reach the final deciding point. This is the practical distinction: Star Point prevents a long chain of deuce-and-advantage cycles, while still giving both pairs more than one chance to close the game.
Who chooses the receiving side at a Star Point?
The receiving pair chooses whether to receive the deciding serve from the right or left side. Its players cannot switch their receiving positions for that point. In a mixed match under the FIP rules, the receiver must be the same sex as the server.
Agree your receiving order with your partner before the match, then confirm who will take the decisive serve from each side if the event uses Star Point. The guide to returning serve and moving forward covers the wider return-and-transition decision; the serve rules guide explains how the serve itself works. Star Point changes the game score, not the serve’s bounce, contact-height or service-box rules.
Does every padel match use Star Point in 2026?
No. FIP’s announcement says Star Point is being applied from 2026 on the Premier Padel, CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and amateur FIP Beyond circuits. That is not a reason to assume it applies to every local league, club tournament or friendly booking. The event regulations should tell you which scoring option is in use.
For UK context, LTA Padel’s public rules guide currently explains the traditional Advantage format. For a particular competition, rely on that competition’s regulations or ask its organiser; a general rules explainer may not state the format selected for your event.
A quick check before you play
- Check the event rules or booking information for Advantage, Golden Point/no-ad, or Star Point.
- If it is not stated, ask the organiser before the warm-up rather than waiting until 40–40.
- Tell your partner which format you are using and agree the receiving positions for any deciding point.
- If it is a friendly match with no published rules, agree one format with all four players before starting.
These steps are a practical match-preparation checklist, not a substitute for the event’s official regulations. If your pair is also reviewing serve patterns, our comparison of Australian and conventional serving formations explains the separate positioning decision.
What should you record after a match?
If a deciding point changed the momentum of a game, note the score format alongside the situation: who served, which side the receiving pair chose, and what happened in the rally. The format is context; one lost Star Point is not by itself evidence that your pair has a pressure problem. See what to track after every padel match for a simple way to turn a match note into one training focus.
Padel Coach App can help you review a short clip of a pressure point and identify the positioning or shot decision to practise next. Add the event’s scoring format to your own note—the app’s video feedback does not decide which rules applied to the competition. Download the app if you want to keep match clips and training goals together.
Quick answers
Is Star Point the same as Golden Point?
No. Golden Point is one deciding point at the first deuce. Star Point comes only after two advantage sequences have failed to decide the game.
Is the first point after 40–40 the Star Point?
Not in the FIP Star Point sequence. The first point creates Advantage 1; after a second advantage cycle, a final Star Point is played if the game is still unresolved.
Can the receiving pair change sides for the deciding point?
The pair chooses the receiving side, but the players cannot change their receiving positions for that point. The mixed-match rule also specifies that the receiver is the same sex as the server.
What if my club has not announced the scoring format?
Ask the club or match organiser before play. If it is a casual match with no competition rules, agree the format with the other pair before starting.
Sources
- International Padel Federation: Rules of Padel, application from 1 January 2026, Rule 1.
- International Padel Federation: Star Point announcement, including the circuits adopting the format from 2026.
- International Padel Federation: FIP Promises Tour Rulebook, 19 March 2026, scoring-announcement tables for Advantage, Golden Point and Star Point.
- LTA Padel: Official padel rules—how to play and score, UK-facing general scoring guidance.
Learn how our guides are researched, prepared and checked in our editorial policy.