Playtomic report: Global padel courts top 50,000, up 17% in 2024

The continued surge in the global growth of padel has been highlighted in the latest Global Padel Report from booking platform Playtomic, which analysed the expansion of the sport worldwide last year.

The report, produced with PwC’s business strategy consulting arm, Strategy&, found that in 2024, 3,282 new padel clubs opened worldwide, averaging nearly nine new clubs per day, or one every two and a half hours.

The analysis also revealed 7,187 new courts were built, pushing the global total past 50,000. “This 26% year-over-year growth in clubs and 17% growth in courts reflects a sport that is not only scaling rapidly but maturing sustainably and entering mainstream society,” Playtomic said.

It added that “the sport’s growth is not expected to slow down anytime soon either”, with the report stating that more than 81,000 padel courts are expected to be built by 2027.

Other key findings from the report include:

Global growth surge
Padel is now established in over 90 countries, with high-growth markets including Portugal, the Netherlands, US, UK, UAE, Mexico, India and Indonesia.

US boom is coming
Padel is gaining momentum in the US, with Florida, California and Texas standing out as the major hotspots, while New York, Massachusetts and Illinois are states where padel is emerging. While 352 courts were built across the country in 2024, a significant expansion is projected for 2027.

The ‘sticky sport’
Once people try padel, they’re hooked. With a 92% return rate, padel boasts an incredibly high return rate after just one session, driven by its accessibility, social nature and addictive gameplay.

Pickleball parallels
While often compared, the two sports are increasingly coexisting, with 30% of US pickleball venues now offering padel courts, a significant shift from 12 months ago.

Playtomic also claimed that padel clubs using digital tools such as its own booking app are “outperforming competitors by 3-5x, showing how data and smart booking are supercharging padel’s global ecosystem.”

The report concluded that “padel is experiencing faster and more sustainable global growth than ever before, with markets reaching maturity within just 5 to 6 years.”

It said that “countries such as France (particularly the south), the US (notably Miami, Texas, and California), and the UK (including London, Manchester, and Bristol) are demonstrating strong momentum.”

It continued: “Player behaviour is also evolving from beginners in regions like Indonesia and Thailand to increasingly advanced players participating regularly in matches and tournaments across other markets.

“Digitalisation is a key driver of this growth, enhancing accessibility and replacing traditional membership models with flexible pay-per-play systems.”

Playtomic co-founder and CCO Pablo Carro said: “With a new club opening every two and a half hours worldwide, padel has finally joined the top table of the world’s sporting elite.

“The highly-anticipated 2025 Playtomic and PWC Global Padel Report highlights just how far padel is expanding and evolving. From emerging hotspots, to player behaviour and club performance, these insights are shaping the future of the sport.

“From the rapid momentum the sport is gaining in the United States, to the remarkable social and cultural phenomenon that we’re witnessing in the UK, the report released today proves that padel’s time within mainstream society has now arrived, and at Playtomic, we are proud to be leading that transformation.”

Playtomic managing director Antonio Robert Aragonés added: "Padel isn’t just gaining popularity, it’s driving a global movement. This report doesn’t just reflect the sport’s growth; it helps guide it. Positioned at the heart of padel’s global ecosystem, we offer an unmatched perspective through our data, technology and deep connection to the community.”

PwC’s head of the Global Padel Report, Elena Martin, said: “We are delighted to see that the sector has returned to a path of organic and sustainable growth, following the post-Covid activity surge and the adjustments made in 2023. With over 50,000 leads currently, development remains strong, particularly in key markets such as France and the United Kingdom. Our projections suggest that this growth momentum will continue in the years ahead.”

·    The Global Padel Report 2025 from Playtomic is available to download at playtomic.com/global-padel-report

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