Jeff Cheng takes over Padel Pilipinas as Manila hosts Asia Pacific Padel Cup

Jeff Cheng stepped in as Padel Pilipinas president as Manila opened the 2026 Asia Pacific Padel Cup at Play Padel McKinley in Taguig, with the third edition of the regional event running from June 25 to June 28 and drawing 10 teams from 7 nations into professional and amateur draws. His introduction landed in the middle of the tournament’s opening day, turning the leadership change into part of the competition itself rather than a separate administrative note.

Cheng arrived from the Philippine women’s national football team, where he had served as manager, and he made clear that padel was not going to be treated as a ceremonial detour. His focus was on the practical bottlenecks that still limit the sport in the Philippines: building awareness, widening participation, finding the right coaches, strengthening clubs and expanding court access so more people can actually play.

The amateur division added to APPC 2026 fit that strategy. Padel Pilipinas wanted the home event to do more than crown a regional champion; it wanted a bigger entry point for Filipino players who are still discovering the sport. That broader approach matters because the Philippines is also chasing a place in padel’s next global step, with the sport set to debut as a full medal discipline at the 2026 Asian Games.

Padel Pilipinas executive director Atty. Jacqueline Gan-Cristobal said Cheng had already been helping the community before taking the title officially, and she described the Manila staging as a shared effort between Cheng and founder Senator Pia S. Cayetano to show the region that the Philippines can host a major international tournament. Another account said Cheng took over the presidency from Vince Dizon, while Cayetano remained in the organization’s front office.

The pressure on Cheng is bigger than one week in Taguig. Some coverage described the Philippines as the defending champion entering APPC 2026, which adds a competitive edge to the host nation’s administrative ambition. The result on court will matter, but so will whether the federation can turn the tournament into proof that its structure is ready for a larger stage.

That test comes after a rapid but uneven local buildout. Manila’s first padel court opened in 2021, and the first public courts in the country followed in Talisay, Cebu, in 2024. Padel Pilipinas has also expanded its 2026 domestic calendar with events such as the Philippine Padel Invitational, the Philippine Padel Cup, FIP Bronze Women's Padel Manila and the Women's Manila Challenger, giving Cheng a schedule that extends well beyond APPC and into the deeper work of making padel stick.