Padel in Europe: A Three-Lane Motorway of Growth

THE VIEW FROM EUROPE by Philippe Azar

Europe’s padel boom is like a three-lane motorway and everyone is driving at a different speed. On the slow lane are mature markets (big but stable), the middle lane holds countries digesting past booms, and the fast lane is full-throttle growth for newcomers.

Crucial stats illustrate this split: the latest FIP report shows 35+ million players worldwide and 77,300 courts globally, with Europe alone hosting roughly 70% of those courts and 59% of all players.

But Europe’s padel universe isn’t uniform: it ranges from Spain’s saturated plateau to the UK’s unchecked acceleration, to nascent markets just putting pedal to the metal.

This article realigns each major country with a lane, updates growth figures from the FIP 2025 report, and adds sharper business analysis for stakeholders in the racket business.

Slow Lane – Mature, Stabilized Markets

These countries have long-established padel. Most people who want to play already do, so growth is mild.

• Spain – Unquestionably the slow lane champion. Spain has about 4,500 padel clubs and 17,000 courts (a 5% year-on-year rise). Its player base is huge: ~6.7 million casual players (12.7% of Spaniards) and 109,000 licensed members. That’s roughly one court per 2,800 people, one of the highest densities worldwide. With infrastructure largely built out, Spain’s growth now comes from more usage of existing courts (coaching, tourism, events), not new construction.

• Portugal – Similarly mature. Portugal has on the order of 1,300 courts (placing it in Europe’s top 10) and thousands of players. Growth is steady but no longer explosive; Portugal has settled into a moderate pace like Spain’s. (Precise FIP numbers for Portugal weren’t in our sources, but industry reports confirm it’s a saturated market.)

• Italy – Once racing up the fast lane, Italy now tips into the slow/middle lane. Italy surged to become padel’s #2 globally, with ~10,000 courts and 3,716 clubs (1.5 million players) by mid-2025. Recent data suggest expansion is tapering: new building is healthy but not headlong. Think of Italy’s lane as “middle–slow”: still big and influential, but with growth normalizing. (For example, courts grew ~29% from 2022 to 2025 – high but not viral.)

• Belgium – A smaller market (~1,900 courts) but with steady demand. Belgium is active for its size, yet only moderate growth now. It effectively shares Spain’s slow lane – established clubs, incremental expansion.

Slow-lane takeaway: These countries are no longer in a gold rush; they manage and monetize what they have. Revenues come from memberships, high-end coaching, and events, not new courts. Investors expect stability (not double-digit growth), and governments/federations focus on quality (e.g. youth, training) rather than adding courts.

Middle Lane – Consolidating or Plateauing Markets

Here are markets that grew fast but are catching up to reality. Many saw a frenzy of construction, and now either demand is plateauing or excess supply is being absorbed.

• Sweden – Sweden epitomizes a boom–bust swing. By early 2024 it had exploded to 4,200+ courts (fourth-most in world) and ~600,000 players. That boom slowed unexpectedly: the FIP Report notes Sweden is “not yet showing signs of recovery” after its surge. In practical terms, too many clubs chased players. Today Sweden has millions of enthusiasts but faces club closures and consolidation. It’s shifting into the middle lane, as if after topping out on the fast lane.

• France – France was roaring ahead (Padel clubs quintupled from ~1,000 to ~2,500 courts in 4 years). In 2024, France was named a top-European market with ~130% growth. But growth is now slowing as its infrastructure swells. As of late 2024, France had ~2,500 courts in ~940 facilities and ~500,000 amateur players. Its tennis federation (FFT) reports ~65,000 padel members (up 91% in a year), but adding licenses further shows a leveling market. In short, France’s middle lane cruise control is on: plenty of traffic, but new lanes (courts) are growing more cautiously.

• Netherlands – A late bloomer. In 2020 it had ~330 courts; by 2023 it shot to 2,418 courts. That’s an incredible rise, but growth has eased. The Dutch padel scene is now substantial (5th in world by courts) and felt the pain of overbuilding. It straddles the middle lane: not quite plateaued, but growth is steadier as demand catches up. (KNLTB reports ~586 clubs and 2,418 courts in 2023, with ~130,000 licensed players.)

• Nordics & Central Europe (e.g. Denmark, Norway, Czechia) – These saw shocks of expansion (Drives, public courts), and now they enter consolidation. For instance, Denmark had doubling courts in a few years, and Norway just got organized; they’re slowing from initial hype. We place them in the middle lane: ahead of maturity, but no longer in “build everything” mode.

Middle-lane takeaway: These markets are processing growth. Opportunities lie in rationalization (mergers, better marketing to fill courts), not necessarily in building brand new complexes everywhere. Overbuilding risk is real here – some clubs have closed or struggled. Investors watch metrics like players-per-court (e.g. Spain’s 2,800 people/court vs. 4,000+ in some middle markets) to judge saturation. Smart operators focus on retention and pricing rather than more shiny infrastructure.

Fast Lane – Emerging, Exploding Markets

These markets just merged onto the motorway and demand is outpacing supply. Growth feels reckless, but financial returns can be enormous if managed well.

• Great Britain (UK) – The poster child of fast-lane growth. Britain’s court count went from ~500 to 1,130 in 2025, largely private clubs. Player activity on booking platform Playtomic jumped 125% in 2025. The LTA took padel under its wing in 2019 (after initial private growth), so now there is gradual structure. But for now, the UK is “flooring it”: demand is so strong that new clubs can find members quickly.

• Germany & Austria – Another European powerhouse in fast lane. FIP singled out Germany for 130% growth in 2024. Germany’s absolute court count is still modest (a few hundred), but jumping quickly. Austria trails similarly, with many indoor projects. These markets are chugging fuel at all stations – far from saturation. And, in true German-style: there is no speed limit on the fast lane – growth continues unregulated.

• Ireland – Grassroots traction is explosive. From almost zero courts a few years back, Ireland has hundreds now and climbing. Every month sees new clubs. There’s no local federation yet (the sport is run by enthusiasts), so it’s pure market forces. Ireland belongs in the fast lane.

• Eastern Europe & Baltics – Countries like Poland, Greece, and the Baltic states have tiny bases but are now hot. A handful of investors and municipal governments are funding dozens of courts. Early signs indicate these are “just merged” – very high percentage growth. We group them in fast lane, though absolute scale is still small.

• Switzerland – Rapidly building indoor courts (several hundred now). Swiss padel is also in fast lane growth.

Fast-lane takeaway: Think frontier expansion. The returns can be high but the risks include: building too fast (later having empty courts), regulatory surprises, and capital scarcity (construction costs). Federations are catching up (e.g. LTA in UK, DCBP in Germany, Swiss Tennis in Switzerland) but many fast-lane markets still lack a strong governing body. That’s “no padel police” – meaning governance gaps which can allow instability (e.g. clubs opening/closing with little oversight). Investors in these markets must be bold but also prepared for volatility.

Business and Market Dynamics

Beyond countries, consider these broader points (think of traffic elements on our padel motorway):

• Overbuilding Risk: In middle-lane Europe, too many courts were built too quickly. France, Netherlands, Sweden – each saw boom followed by some closures. This is like adding lanes on a motorway before ramp demand is assessed. In these markets, monitor the player-to-court ratio: Spain, for example, has one of the world’s highest ratios (~1 court per 2,800 people), which supports even slow growth. A market with 1 court per 7,000 people might be in shortage, whereas 1:1,500 might be saturated.

• Federation & Regulation (“No Padel Police”): Many fast-growing markets lack a strong padel federation. That’s akin to having a motorway with no speed signs or traffic wardens. Without national oversight, standards (court quality, coaching certification, league organization) can be uneven. For example, Britain had virtually no central padel authority before 2019; now the LTA sets some rules. This is an emerging trend: as padel grows, federations (e.g. FFT-Padel in France, KNLTB in Netherlands) are stepping in to “install traffic lights” (governance) which should make growth more controlled and sustainable.

• Funding and Costs (“Fuel Prices”): Construction costs and land prices are climbing across Europe. This is like paying higher fuel prices on the motorway. If building costs skyrocket, even fast-lane markets will have to throttle back expansion. Clubs may need to focus more on memberships, sponsorships, and premium services to cover higher overhead.

• Promotion & Media (“Billboards & Rest Stops”): Big events (Premier Padel Majors in Doha/Rome/Paris) and sponsorships (Red Bull in Italy, JP Morgan support in Benelux) are rest stops fueling awareness. Youth programs and national leagues help sustain interest. For instance, padel’s debut at the European Games in 2023 was a media billboard for the sport. Digital platforms amplify growth: Playtomic and social media made the UK one of the world’s most social padel nations by late 2025. These promotional elements keep fast-lane markets full of newcomers.

• Long-Term Outlook: Markets tend to converge over time. We’ve seen Sweden sprint ahead, then slow, and countries like Italy and Netherlands move through lanes. The question for investors: will Europe ultimately behave like Spain (high saturation, slow organic growth) or will new waves of enthusiasm keep some lanes wild? So far, the answer is both – different lanes at the same time.

Yes, the motorway analogy makes sense – and with updated data it’s a precise map for padel’s future. As of 2025, Spain and Portugal are firmly cruising in the slow lane (mature markets), France, Italy, Netherlands and Scandinavia occupy the middle lane (absorbing past growth), while UK, Germany, and other emerging markets are tearing along in the fast lane.

In more vivid terms: picture a speeding Brit with padel goggles zipping past a French driver in his Citroen on the middle lane, while an Italian driver toots impatiently because there’s still no “padel police” on this motorway.

Ultimately, Europe’s padel traffic is expanding on all fronts – fast-lane chaos and slow-lane cruises alike – making it one of the sport’s most dynamic regions. Investors and club operators should pick their lane wisely: fast lanes promise high growth (and high risk), middle lanes need smart consolidation, and slow lanes demand optimization of established assets.

Sources: Data and insights above are drawn from the FIP World Padel Report 2025 and related releases, plus official federation statements and industry analyses, which provide the court counts, player figures, and growth rates cited. All figures align with the latest available reports.