Padel, a Multi-Billion-Dollar Industry on the Rise

The sport invented in 1969 by Mexican Enrique Corcuera at his home in Acapulco—where he enclosed a small court with walls to create a more social and accessible alternative to tennis—has, over the years, established itself as one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide. Today, padel continues its sustained expansion across all five continents, with an increasingly significant economic impact.

According to the International Padel Federation’s World Padel Report 2025, thanks to its social and inclusive nature, the sport now boasts more than 35 million players worldwide, supported by a global network of over 24,600 clubs and 77,300 courts.

But padel is much more than a booming sports discipline. The Global Padel Report estimates that the sector is currently worth close to €2 billion worldwide and forecasts that it will reach €6 billion by 2026, driven by international expansion and sustained investment in new clubs and courts.

Spain, with a market volume approaching €900 million, is the undisputed global leader thanks to the strength and maturity of its domestic market. The country is home to more than 4,500 padel clubs and 17,000 courts, used by over 111,000 registered federated players. Following Spain, countries such as Italy, Argentina and the United States are also seeing the padel industry take on a prominent role. Meanwhile, experts predict that regions such as the Middle East and Latin America—particularly Mexico and Brazil—will experience significant growth in the coming years.

In addition, padel is growing not only in terms of the number of players, but also as an industry. Its ecosystem offers multiple business opportunities, including court construction, the creation of sports clubs, innovation in equipment and materials, the consolidation of professional circuits, and event sponsorship, among many others.

According to Álex Ponseti, director of the Padel World Summit, “padel has moved beyond being a trend to become a structured industry, with professional stakeholders at every level.” For Ponseti, one of the key drivers of the sector’s growth is professionalisation: “The standardisation of circuits, improved training programmes and digitalisation are marking a turning point. Padel is already competing for audiences with much more established sports.”

In this context, the Padel World Summit in Barcelona is emerging as the sector’s leading global meeting point. The event will bring together more than 150 international brands, investors and operators, consolidating its role as a key platform for business development, strategic partnerships and innovation.

Ultimately, beyond the figures and the rapid expansion, the Barcelona event symbolises the definitive step towards the consolidation of padel as a global sporting, economic and cultural phenomenon.

Barcelona, April 2026

Padel World Summit Communication
93 233 21 66 / 93 233 35 55
[email protected] /[email protected]