United Kingdom sees a milestone with 1,000 padel courts, indicating a surge in popularity for the sport
In an exciting turn of events, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is spearheading the growth and development of padel, a sport that is currently experiencing a surge in popularity across the UK and beyond. With over 1,000 padel courts now in Great Britain, the focus is on sustained development, diversity, and accessibility.
The LTA's strategy for padel development encourages participation from people of all ages and abilities, aiming to open up the sport to more and different people. Key focus points include growing and diversifying the coaching workforce and implementing a performance pathway to support current British padel players and pave the way for the next generation.
London and the south east account for nearly a third (30%) of the 1,004 padel courts in the UK, with courts found across various locations including Regent's Park, Canary Wharf, Battersea Power Station, and Turnham Green. Despite the cost associated with renting a court, uptake of padel in London remains impressive.
The LTA and LTA Tennis Foundation have invested more than £6m in the growth of padel across Britain, with the LTA helping fund the development of around 10% of all national padel courts. The organisation is also reportedly in talks with potential host sites, including private schools, for new padel courts.
As padel's global profile continues to grow, there are plans for a Ryder Cup-style event in 2026, which will bring further international attention to the sport and help raise its profile on the global stage. Known as the FIP Intercontinental Cup, the event will feature an Americas vs Europe format and is expected to showcase the sport at a new level, potentially helping cement its Olympic path.
The International Padel Federation (FIP) is also expanding its calendar and renewing multi-year agreements for Premier Padel Majors in Rome, Paris, and Doha, aiming to solidify padel’s global footprint and visibility, which is a key step toward Olympic consideration.
While padel has not yet been officially included in the Olympic Games, strong progress is being made towards wider international recognition and major event organization. The Olympic inclusion of padel is being considered, with British padel authorities highlighting the sport’s momentum in Great Britain amid calls for Olympic recognition.
In summary, padel is aggressively positioning itself for future Olympic inclusion through expanding premier tournaments, global partnerships, and high-profile international competitions like the scheduled Ryder Cup-style event in 2026, which will showcase the sport at a new level and help cement its Olympic path. The future of padel looks bright, and it's an exciting time for people to pick up a racket and enjoy the sport.
[1] International Padel Federation press release, 2022 [2] Local news article, 2022 [3] LTA press release, 2022 [4] BBC Sport article, 2022
The LTA's focus on diversifying the coaching workforce for padel extends beyond the UK, as they aim to prepare and support players for global competitions, following the trend of increasing popularity in football. The LTA's strategy for padel development mirrors the grassroots approach in sports like football, encouraging participation from all ages and abilities, and paving the way for international recognition.
