International pickleball body expands to embrace padel

Global trade association the International Association of Pickleball Facilities (IAPF) has announced it is expanding into padel, recognising it as “one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide.”

As part of the move, IAPF, whose members include pickleball facilities, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders, is rebranding as the International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities (IAPPF).

The body has also named the US padel club franchise Conquer Padel as its founding partner and sponsor for padel.

The IAPPF said it will work closely with Conquer Padel “to create a unified industry platform that fosters growth, innovation, and collaboration across both racquet sports.”

It said the two organisations “will jointly advance facility development, build supplier networks, educate investors, connect global stakeholders, host events, and promote best practices.”

The IAPPF added that through its work with Conquer Padel and other experts it will “rapidly develop and share a vast array of resources with members including best practices, white papers, data, supplier directories and other online content; create working groups; stage industry events; and other activities focused on padel.”

Upcoming events already scheduled for this year include regional meetups in Boston on June 20, Chicago on July 18, Fort Lauderdale on August 22, and the first annual International Pickleball and Padel Facilities Conference on October 2–3.

The IAPPF said it now represents “hundreds of member facilities, manufacturers, investors, and service providers across the racquet sports sector.”

David Johnson, founder and CEO of IAPPF, said: “A number of our existing members already operate both pickleball and padel courts. With padel surging in the US and thriving globally, this is the right moment to bring both sports together under one roof.”

Johnson, who co-founded Pickleball Central, the largest online pickleball retailer, added: “Padel shares many of the same infrastructure challenges and opportunities as pickleball. This partnership helps create the professional backbone both sports need to succeed.”

Conquer Padel, founded by entrepreneurs Enrique Gracia, Barry Falcon and Tom Konkowski, is aiming to expand padel’s presence across North America through franchising and turnkey development solutions.

The IAPPF said that as its founding padel sponsor Conquer “will bring deep expertise, resources, and global connections to support the development of the padel ecosystem.”

Enrique Gracia, co-founder and CEO of Conquer Padel, said: “Our vision has always been to boost the padel movement in America. By partnering with IAPPF, we gain a global platform to help shape the future of the sport – from grassroots awareness to world-class facility design.”

Tom Konkowski, co-founder and COO of Conquer Padel, added: “This is a pivotal moment for racquet sports in the US. With 30M+ players globally and US court growth tripling in two years, padel isn’t just a trend – it’s a global phenomenon. Together with IAPPF, we will help ensure every stakeholder –  from investors and suppliers to players and pros – has a seat at the table.” 

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