Padel Worldwide: How the Sport Spread
From a private courtyard in Acapulco, padel has spread to six continents in half a century. Each region has brought its own flavour: Argentina — mass participation, Spain — infrastructure, Scandinavia — year-round indoor courts.
Waves of Growth
The global rise of padel can be divided into three waves:
| Wave | Period | Regions |
|---|---|---|
| First | 1970s–1990s | Mexico, Argentina, Spain |
| Second | 2000–2015 | Portugal, Brazil, UAE, Italy |
| Third | 2015–present | Scandinavia, UK, France, USA, Asia |
Latin America
Argentina
The birthplace of mass padel. By the 1980s, thousands of clubs operated across the country. The Argentine school has produced legendary players and coaches.
- Courts: ~7,000 (FIP data, 2024)
- Highlight: padel is the second-most popular sport after football
- [UNVERIFIED] ~1.4 million registered players (FIP data)
Brazil
Growth began in the 2000s. Major cities (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro) became development hubs.
- Courts: ~3,000
- Highlight: active new construction, strong youth interest
Mexico
The country where padel was born. Despite its historical primacy, mass adoption lags behind Argentina and Spain.
- Courts: ~1,000
- Highlight: focus on resort areas and the capital region
Europe
Spain
The undisputed leader in infrastructure. See Padel in Spain for details.
- Courts: ~17,000 (2024, +5% YoY)
- Players: ~6 million
- Highlight: padel is embedded in the culture, available in every city
Sweden
Phenomenal growth between 2015 and 2025. The cold climate drove massive construction of indoor courts.
- Courts: ~4,200
- Highlight: the vast majority of courts are indoor; padel centres as a business model
- [UNVERIFIED] Sweden has the second-highest number of courts per capita in Europe after Spain
Italy
Rapid growth since 2018. Clubs are opening all over the country, from Milan to Sicily.
- Courts: ~10,000+ (2025, surpassed Sweden)
- Highlight: high demand, active investment environment
Finland
A model similar to Sweden — predominantly indoor courts in urban areas.
- Courts: ~1,500
- Highlight: strong ties to tennis clubs, combined facilities
United Kingdom
Active growth since 2020, supported by the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association).
- Courts: ~760+ (2024), growing fast
- Highlight: many tennis clubs are adding padel courts to their existing infrastructure
France
Growth accelerated in 2022–2025. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has integrated padel into its structure.
- Courts: ~2,500
- Highlight: government-level support through sports federations
Portugal
Geographic and cultural proximity to Spain ensured early adoption.
- Courts: ~2,000
- Highlight: popular in coastal resort areas
Middle East
UAE and Qatar
Extreme heat has led to a dominance of indoor courts (~70%).
- Highlight: premium facilities, hosting Premier Padel events
- Qatar is a strategic FIP partner through Qatar Sports Investments
North America
USA
[UNVERIFIED] Padel still trails pickleball in popularity, but interest is growing. Main hubs: Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Texas.
- Courts: ~700 (2025, rapid growth)
- Highlight: competing with pickleball for the racquet-sports audience
Asia
The least developed region, but growing:
- Japan: ~50 courts, supported through tennis clubs
- India, Thailand, China: a handful of venues, pilot projects
What Drives Growth?
Why is padel spreading so fast?
- Low barrier to entry — you can start playing after one session
- Social format — doubles on a compact court encourages interaction
- Space-efficient — a court requires less room than a tennis court
- Investment appeal — payback in 2–7 years
- Media exposure — Premier Padel broadcasts raise awareness
Outlook
- Olympic Games: FIP is campaigning for padel’s inclusion in the programme
- USA and Asia: key growth markets for the next decade
- Professional tour: consolidation under FIP / Premier Padel
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