Spain will go to the FIP World Cup without Ale Galán. A problem with his right hand has ruled him out, and on 30 October the Spanish Padel Federation (FEP) confirmed that Javi Leal takes his place in Juanjo Gutiérrez’s men’s squad. The tournament runs in Doha, Qatar, from 2 to 7 November.
A season that ended early
The warning signs came at the Kuwait Major. Galán withdrew from that event with an undisclosed injury, which also confirmed that Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello would finish 2026 as the world’s number one pair. Under International Padel Federation rules, national teams could replace an injured player until 31 October. With the tournament only days away, Spain’s staff named Leal rather than wait any longer.
Why Leal
Galán plays on the backhand side, so Gutiérrez needed another left-side player. That ruled out Fran Guerrero and Pol Hernández, who play on the forehand side and were also dropped from the preliminary list. In the end the choice came down to Leal or Momo González. Leal is a pure backhand player, so the squad can keep its pairings balanced without moving anyone to the other side. He also has recent experience with Spain: he was in the squads that won the 2024 European Championship and the 2025 FIP Euro Padel Cup.
What it changes for Spain
Losing Galán also cancels one of the main storylines of the week. After the squad was named, Gutiérrez said Galán and Juan Lebrón, the former world number one pair, would play together again in Doha. Spain have not yet said how the pairs will be rearranged. Two years ago Spain lost the World Cup final in Doha to Argentina, and getting revenge is the clear aim.
Key details
- Event: FIP World Cup 2026, Doha, Qatar, 2–7 November
- Out: Ale Galán (right hand)
- In: Javi Leal (backhand side)
- Spain men’s squad: Arturo Coello, Juan Lebrón, Paquito Navarro, Mike Yanguas, Jon Sanz, Coki Nieto, Aimar Goñi, Javi Leal
- Coach: Juanjo Gutiérrez
Sources: Spanish Padel Federation (via Padel Addict), El Neverazo, Padel Spain, Tennis Tonic, Padel Magazine
