Padel formats compared

Americano rotates partners on a fixed schedule. Mexicano pairs players by the leaderboard. Team variants keep partners fixed, and ladder formats move winners up a court.

Format	Partners	Pairing	Players	Best for
Americano	Rotate	Fixed schedule	4–24 players, 1–6 courts	Mixed-level social games where everyone should play with everyone.
Team Americano	Fixed pairs	Fixed schedule	2–12 pairs (4–24 players)	Couples nights, club leagues and groups that already have partners.
Mexicano	Rotate	By results	4–24 players, 1–6 courts	Competitive groups with mixed levels who want close matches.
Team Mexicano	Fixed pairs	By results	2–12 pairs (4–24 players)	Fixed teams that want competitive, evenly matched games.
Mixicano	Rotate, one per side	By results	Equal sides, 4–24 players	Mixed doubles socials.
Beat the Box	Rotate	By results	Multiples of 4 (one box per court)	Club nights with many courts and a sense of progression.
Up & Down	Rotate	By results	4 players per court	Energetic sessions where the top court is the prize.
Team Up & Down	Fixed pairs	By results	2 pairs per court	Fixed teams who want a ladder feel.