Padel is the fastest growing racket sport in the world, but the numbers behind that claim are scattered across federation reports, booking platforms, and market analysts. This roundup pulls them into one place for 2026. Every figure below is drawn from a named source and dated to its original report, from the International Padel Federation and the LTA to Playtomic and independent market researchers. Use it as a reference for how big padel has become, how fast it is still growing, and where the sport is heading next.
More than 35 million people now play padel worldwide, according to the FIP World Padel Report 2025. The sport spans 150 nations, runs across more than 77,000 courts, and supports a global padel sports market worth USD 351.2 million as of 2024, with court counts projected to pass 91,000 by 2028.
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How many people play padel
According to the FIP World Padel Report 2025, reported via The Padel Paper, more than 35 million people now play padel worldwide. That is up from the 30 million recorded a year earlier in the FIP World Padel Report 2024, which itself marked a steep climb from the player base a decade ago.
The same 2024 report, citing earlier World Padel Tour figures via The Padel Paper, put the global player base at 12 million in 2014. Growing from 12 million to over 35 million in roughly a decade is the core fact behind padel being described as the fastest growing racket sport.
Participation is also deepening, not just widening. The Playtomic Global Padel Report 2025, reported via Padel Business Magazine, found a 92 percent player return rate after a first session, which helps explain why new courts fill so quickly once they open.
Courts, clubs, and countries
The FIP World Padel Report 2025, via The Padel Paper, counts 77,300 padel courts worldwide, up from 63,000 reported in the FIP World Padel Report 2024. Club numbers rose in step, from almost 20,000 facilities in the official FIP World Padel Report 2024 to more than 24,600 clubs in the 2025 update.
The sport's geographic spread has widened sharply. The official FIP World Padel Report 2024 recorded padel being played in 130 countries, while the FIP World Padel Report 2025 counts 150 nations plus 20 dependent territories, supported by 87 FIP-affiliated national federations.
Booking platform data tells a parallel story. The Playtomic Global Padel Report 2025, via Padel Business Magazine, tracked over 50,000 courts at the close of 2024, a 17 percent year-over-year increase driven by 7,187 new courts and 3,282 new clubs opened that year, the latter representing 26 percent growth. The newer Playtomic and PwC Strategy& Global Padel Report 2026 puts the global footprint at 58,300 courts, nearly 20,000 clubs, and 19.4 million players on its tracked network.
Who plays padel
Padel has a more balanced gender split than most racket sports. The FIP World Padel Report 2024, via The Padel Paper, reports that women make up 40 percent of padel players. A separate dataset from Brainy Insights, via Padel.fyi, puts the male share at 62.45 percent, and finds that 54 percent of players are aged 26 or older.
Most players are casual rather than competitive. The FIP World Padel Report 2024, via The Padel Paper, counts 600,000 players affiliated to a national federation, 4,874 players holding a professional ranking, and 1,209 world-ranked junior players. The competitive base is expanding fast: the FIP World Padel Report 2025 records over 11,000 professional athletes across the FIP rankings.
Sweden illustrates how concentrated padel can become in a single market. According to official FIP figures, Sweden has 600,000 amateur players and 5,300 pro-licensed players, with a 67 percent men and 33 percent women split, served by 4,200 courts at a density of one court per 2,500 inhabitants, second only to Andorra.
How fast padel is growing
National data shows the steepest curves. The LTA reports that Great Britain reached 860,000 padel players by the end of 2025, up from 400,000 in 2024 and just 15,000 in 2019. British court infrastructure followed: 1,553 courts across 559 venues by the end of 2025, up from only 69 courts in 2020.
The United States is earlier in the same curve. The State of Padel in the U.S. Report 2025 from Misitrano Consulting, via The Padel Paper, counts 688 courts across 180 facilities, with over half installed since January 2024, and estimates 112,872 US players today, projected to reach 900,922 by 2030.
Search interest and tournament activity confirm the momentum. Google Trends data, via Padel.fyi, shows a 385 percent increase in padel search interest over five years. The FIP World Padel Report 2025, via The Padel Paper, records 14,355 new courts built in 2025 and 290 FIP-organised tournaments that year, up from 182 in 2024.
Projections point higher still. The Playtomic Global Padel Report 2025, via Padel Business Magazine, forecasts over 81,000 courts by 2027, while the later Playtomic and PwC Strategy& Global Padel Report 2026 projects 91,000 courts by 2028.
The padel economy and equipment market
Cognitive Market Research valued the global padel sports market at USD 351.2 million in 2024, with Europe the largest region at a 37.99 percent share in 2025. Prize money has scaled alongside participation: across the World Padel Tour, Premier Padel, and A1 Padel Tour, total professional prize money reached 8.25 million euros, according to figures compiled by Padel.fyi.
The equipment side is its own growth story. Market.us values the padel racket market at USD 116.5 million in 2024, projecting it to reach USD 395.5 million by 2034 at a 13.0 percent compound annual growth rate. Within that market, Europe holds a 43.7 percent share worth USD 50.9 million, carbon fiber is the leading material at 39.6 percent, and amateur applications account for 59.2 percent of demand. A separate estimate from Strategic Market Research sizes the racket market at USD 320 million in 2023, growing to USD 550 million by 2030 at a 7.8 percent compound annual growth rate.
That amateur-heavy demand profile matches what most buyers actually need. A forgiving step-up frame like the Nox AT10 Pro Cup Soft 2026 sits squarely in the segment that drives the bulk of racket sales, where arm-friendly control matters more than tour-level power.
Sources
FIP World Padel Report 2024, via The Padel Paper (2024): 30 million players, 63,000 courts, 40 percent female share, 600,000 federation-affiliated players, 4,874 ranked professionals, 1,209 ranked juniors, and the 12 million player base in 2014. https://thepadelpaper.com/fip-world-padel-report-30-million-players/
FIP World Padel Report 2025, via The Padel Paper (2025): over 35 million players, 77,300 courts, 24,600+ clubs, 150 nations plus 20 dependent territories, 87 affiliated federations, over 11,000 professional athletes, 14,355 new courts in 2025, and 290 FIP-organised tournaments. https://thepadelpaper.com/fip-world-padel-report-2025/
FIP, World Padel Report 2024, official (2024): almost 20,000 clubs and 130 countries playing padel. https://www.padelfip.com/2024/05/world-padel-report-2024-the-first-official-fip-report-on-the-padel-movement/
FIP, official focus on Sweden (2024): 600,000 amateur players, 5,300 pro-licensed players, 67 percent men and 33 percent women, 4,200 courts, and one court per 2,500 inhabitants. https://www.padelfip.com/2024/02/focus-on-sweden-600000-players-over-4000-courts-and-the-next-gen-faces-the-worlds-best-young-players/
Brainy Insights, via Padel.fyi (2023): 62.45 percent male share of players and 54 percent of players aged 26 or older. https://www.padel.fyi/articles/padel-statistics/
Google Trends and tour prize-money figures, via Padel.fyi (2023): 385 percent increase in search interest over five years and 8.25 million euros in professional prize money. https://www.padel.fyi/articles/padel-statistics/
Playtomic Global Padel Report 2025, via Padel Business Magazine (2024 to 2027): over 50,000 tracked courts at the close of 2024, 17 percent year-over-year growth, 7,187 new courts, 3,282 new clubs at 26 percent growth, 92 percent first-session return rate, and over 81,000 courts projected by 2027. https://newsletter.padelbusinessmagazine.com/p/playtomic-report-global-padel-courts-top-50-000-up-17-in-2024
Playtomic and PwC Strategy& Global Padel Report 2026 (2026 to 2028): 58,300 courts, nearly 20,000 clubs, 19.4 million players, and 91,000 courts projected by 2028. https://playtomic.com/global-padel-report
LTA, official (2025): 860,000 Great Britain players by the end of 2025, up from 400,000 in 2024 and 15,000 in 2019, plus 1,553 courts across 559 venues, up from 69 courts in 2020. https://www.ltapadel.org.uk/news/860000-players-lta-unveils-latest-figures-on-growth-of-padel-in-britain/
State of Padel in the U.S. Report 2025, Misitrano Consulting, via The Padel Paper (2025): 688 courts across 180 facilities with over half installed since January 2024, and 112,872 estimated US players projected to reach 900,922 by 2030. https://thepadelpaper.com/state-of-padel-us-usa-misitrano-consulting/
Cognitive Market Research (2024 to 2025): USD 351.2 million global padel sports market size and a 37.99 percent European share. https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/padel-sports-market-report
Market.us (2024 to 2034): USD 116.5 million padel racket market growing to USD 395.5 million by 2034 at 13.0 percent CAGR, with a 43.7 percent European share worth USD 50.9 million, carbon fiber at 39.6 percent, and amateur applications at 59.2 percent. https://market.us/report/padel-racket-market/
Strategic Market Research (2023 to 2030): USD 320 million padel racket market growing to USD 550 million by 2030 at 7.8 percent CAGR. https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/market-report/padel-racket-market
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many people play padel worldwide?+
More than 35 million people play padel worldwide, according to the FIP World Padel Report 2025, reported via The Padel Paper. That is up from 30 million in the 2024 report and 12 million a decade earlier in 2014, which is why padel is widely described as the fastest growing racket sport.
How many padel courts are there in the world?+
The FIP World Padel Report 2025, via The Padel Paper, counts 77,300 padel courts worldwide, up from 63,000 a year earlier. Booking platform Playtomic, in its 2026 report with PwC Strategy&, tracks 58,300 courts on its own network and projects the global total to reach 91,000 by 2028.
What percentage of padel players are women?+
Women make up 40 percent of padel players, according to the FIP World Padel Report 2024 reported via The Padel Paper. That is a more balanced split than most racket sports. A separate Brainy Insights dataset, via Padel.fyi, puts the male share at 62.45 percent.
Is padel growing in the UK and US?+
Yes, sharply in both. The LTA reports Great Britain reached 860,000 players by the end of 2025, up from 15,000 in 2019. In the US, the State of Padel 2025 report from Misitrano Consulting estimates 112,872 players today, projected to reach 900,922 by 2030.
How big is the padel market?+
Cognitive Market Research valued the global padel sports market at USD 351.2 million in 2024, with Europe the largest region. The padel racket market alone is worth USD 116.5 million in 2024, projected by Market.us to reach USD 395.5 million by 2034 at a 13.0 percent annual growth rate.
How many professional padel players are there?+
The FIP World Padel Report 2025, via The Padel Paper, records over 11,000 professional athletes across the FIP rankings, up from 4,874 players with a professional ranking in the 2024 report. Across the main tours, total professional prize money reached 8.25 million euros, according to figures compiled by Padel.fyi.