LTA figures: UK padel participation doubles in 2025

Padel is continuing to surge in popularity across Great Britain, according to new figures from governing body the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) which reveal a major spike in both participation and public interest.

At the end of 2025, 860,000 adults and juniors had played padel at least once during the year, more than doubling the number for 2024.

LTA data recorded 400,000 players at the end of 2024, 129,000 at the end of 2023 and 15,000 in 2019, highlighting the sport’s extraordinary growth trajectory.

Research shows that an average off-peak court booking costs £7 per person per hour, £27 per hour, based on a doubles booking.

LTA says the growth is supported by a rapidly expanding infrastructure, with 1,553 padel courts available across 559 venues at the end of 2025. That figure is up from 870 courts across 293 venues at the end of 2024, and just 69 courts in 2020.

The latest data also shows that at the end of 2025 the awareness of padel among adults reached 57% of the British population (approximately 31 million individuals), representing a significant increase from 38% (20 million) by late 2024.

Interest in playing padel across Britain continues to increase, with over 10 million Britons expressing a desire to try padel, a rise of 3 million since the end of 2024.

To support the sport’s infrastructure growth, the LTA and LTA Tennis Foundation have invested more than £7.5 million into padel court construction to date, according to the governing body.

It says this has supported a further £10.5 million investment, delivering over £18 million for the creation of 112 courts at 57 venues – all of which have an obligation to provide accessible provision for their local communities.

The LTA says it continues to engage with the UK Government on facilities funding, particularly in respect of developing community covered tennis, padel and multisport hubs in areas which lack access.

It notes that the UK Government has invested at least £2.5 million in 2026/27 in covered facilities for padel and tennis. The LTA adds that it will continue to engage on plans for a nationwide rollout, to help ensure access for all communities.

The LTA has also developed new LTA Youth Padel coaching resources, set to launch later this year.

The current resources focus on secondary school aged young people, with the intention of creating opportunities to increase youth engagement and encourage more players to try padel through its fun and social appeal. 

By supporting operators to introduce engaging junior programmes, the LTA aims to expand further opportunities for young people to play and help venues grow participation.

Tom Murray, LTA head of padel said: “The LTA is proud to share the latest figures highlighting the continued growth of padel in Great Britain.

"With 860,000 people playing in 2025, over 10 million expressing interest in trying the sport, and around 1,600 courts now in place across hundreds of venues, padel’s momentum is undeniable.

"2026 also marks a major milestone as the Premier Padel P1 comes to London, a huge opportunity to showcase the sport at the highest level, inspire new audiences, and give fans the chance to experience world-class professional padel here in Britain.

"Increasing visibility and access remains central to our strategy, as we seek to grow the sport sustainably. With strong partnerships and new platforms, we’re making it easier than ever for people to discover and get involved in the sport.”

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