Padel Fastest Growing Sport In The World

In less than a decade, padel has gone from a niche pastime played on private courts in Spain and Argentina to a global sporting phenomenon with over 25 million players across 90+ countries. Whether you've already picked up a racket or are simply curious about what everyone is talking about, this article breaks down why padel is widely recognised as the world's fastest growing sport — and why 2026 might be the year you fall in love with it too.

What Is Padel?

Padel (also written as pádel) is a racket sport that blends the best elements of tennis and squash. Played in doubles on an enclosed court roughly a third the size of a tennis court, the game uses a solid, stringless racket and a depressurised tennis ball. The walls are very much in play — much like squash — making rallies longer, more dynamic, and far more beginner-friendly than tennis.

The sport was invented in Mexico in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera, who built the first padel court in his home in Acapulco. From there it spread rapidly through Latin America and Spain before its current global explosion.

The Numbers Behind the Boom

The statistics are staggering and speak for themselves:

• 25+ million players worldwide and growing fast.
• Over 30,000 padel clubs operating globally as of 2026.
• Padel is now the second most popular sport in Spain, behind only football.
• In Sweden, the number of registered padel players surpassed tennis players as early as 2022.
• The Middle East and Asia-Pacific markets are recording triple-digit percentage growth year-on-year.
• The global padel equipment market is projected to reach $1.2 billion USD by 2028.

These numbers have attracted the attention of major investors, celebrity owners, and global sports brands. Nike, Adidas, and Wilson have all launched dedicated padel product lines, while icons like Neymar Jr., Andy Murray, and David Beckham are among those publicly linked to padel's business ecosystem.

Why Is Padel Growing So Fast?

The answer lies in several perfectly converging factors:

1. It's Incredibly Easy to Learn

Unlike tennis, where mastering technique can take years, most beginners enjoy their first padel match within 20 minutes of stepping on court. The smaller court, shorter racket, and use of walls to keep the ball in play means rallies — and fun — start almost immediately.

2. It's a Social Sport by Design

Padel is always played in doubles, making it inherently social. Courts are compact enough that players can talk naturally during play. Post-match gatherings at the club bar have become as much a part of the experience as the match itself. This social DNA is central to padel's explosive word-of-mouth growth.

3. Low Physical Barrier, High Intensity

The compact court reduces the need for the explosive lateral sprinting of tennis. This makes padel accessible to a wide age range. Yet the sport is far from low-intensity — a competitive padel match provides an extraordinary cardiovascular workout and engages core muscles, agility, and hand-eye coordination at a high level.

4. Infrastructure Is Booming

Padel courts are cheaper and faster to build than tennis courts. A glass-walled padel court can be installed indoors or outdoors in a fraction of the time and cost. Entrepreneurs and fitness facilities worldwide have responded swiftly, dramatically increasing court availability.

5. A Professional Tour Creating Aspirational Stars

The Premier Padel tour — backed by the International Padel Federation and the ATP — has brought world-class competition to major cities globally. Players like Juan Lebrón, Ale Galán, Gemma Triay, and Ariana Sánchez have become household names in the padel world, providing the aspirational heroes every sport needs to grow.

Padel vs Tennis: Key Differences

Many discover padel through tennis, but the two sports have a distinct identity:

Feature	Padel	Tennis
Court size	20m × 10m (enclosed)	23.77m × 8.23m (singles)
Racket	Solid, no strings	Strung racket
Walls	In play (glass & mesh)	Out of bounds
Format	Doubles only	Singles & doubles
Learning curve	Very beginner-friendly	Steeper
Serving	Underarm, below waist	Overhead

Health Benefits of Playing Padel

Beyond its social appeal, padel delivers serious physical and mental health benefits:

• Cardiovascular fitness: An average padel match burns between 400–600 calories, comparable to a high-intensity interval training session.
• Improved reflexes and coordination: The fast pace and use of walls demand rapid decision-making and hand-eye coordination.
• Muscle tone: Padel engages the legs, core, arms, and shoulders in a balanced full-body workout.
• Mental wellbeing: The social, team-based nature of the sport is proven to reduce stress and improve mood.
• Low injury risk: Compared to tennis, the underarm serve and shorter court reduce strain on the shoulder and elbow joints.

Padel Around the World in 2026

Padel's global map is expanding at an astonishing pace:

• Europe: Spain and Sweden lead the continent in both player numbers and courts, but France, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the UK are all reporting rapid adoption.
• Latin America: Argentina and Brazil remain padel powerhouses, with hundreds of thousands of players and internationally competitive talent.
• Middle East: The UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing heavily in padel infrastructure as part of broader sports tourism strategies.
• United States: Padel has arrived. Major urban padel clubs are opening in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Chicago, fuelled partly by the booming Latino community and high-profile celebrity investment.
• Asia-Pacific: Australia, Japan, and South Korea are seeing rapidly growing player bases, aided by international marketing campaigns and app-based court booking platforms.

How to Get Started in Padel

Ready to pick up a racket? Getting started is easier than you think:

1. Find a court near you. Use a padel court finder app or search your local sports centre. Many tennis clubs have now added padel courts.
2. Borrow or rent equipment first. Most clubs rent rackets and balls. Only invest in your own equipment once you're sure you love the game (you will).
3. Book an introductory lesson. A 60-minute beginner session with a coach will give you the fundamentals and massively accelerate your progress.
4. Play with friends — or find new ones. Padel is social by nature.
5. Join a league or tournament. Once you have a few months of play under your belt, local amateur leagues and tournaments offer a competitive ladder that is enormously motivating.

The Future of Padel

Few sports in modern history have shown the growth trajectory of padel. With active lobbying for Olympic inclusion, billion-dollar investment entering the professional tour, and courts appearing in shopping malls, hotel rooftops, and corporate campuses worldwide, padel is not a trend — it is a permanent and accelerating fixture of global sport culture.

For those who have yet to play, the question is no longer whether you will try padel, but when. Given the sport's ability to deliver instant fun, community, fitness, and competition in a single 60-minute session, it's hard to imagine a more compelling answer to the question: "What sport should I pick up in 2026?"