Padel has been the fastest-growing sport worldwide in recent years. One striking statistic: in just five years, the number of countries where padel is played has tripled, jumping from over 50 to more than 140, and its expansion shows no signs of slowing down. Since the beginning of 2025 alone, 16 new countries have officially joined the International Padel Federation (FIP), which oversees the sport’s two major global circuits—the Premier Padel and the Cupra FIP Tour. With these new additions, the number of national federations represented by FIP in 2025 has risen to 87.
According to the latest data from the FIP Research & Data Analysis Department, “The number of padel clubs has surpassed 23,000, compared to around 19,000 at the same time last year, while the number of courts has exceeded 70,000.” Before 2018, only 7,000 clubs and 21,000 courts globally—85% of them concentrated in Spain and Argentina. Today, those two countries account for just 35% of the world’s padel courts, while the remaining 65% are spread across approximately 150 nations on five continents.
The number of Padel players worldwide is now estimated to exceed 30 million—a massive increase from 2018 when there were fewer than 8 million. “The geographic distribution shows that about 60% of players are in Europe, 23% in South America, 7% in Central and North America, 6.4% in Asia, 4.3% in Africa, and 0.3% in Oceania,” notes Carlo Ferrara, head of the International Padel Federation’s Data Department. Most amateur players are men (around 60%), but Padel is also one of the most popular sports among women, who make up nearly 40% of the total player base.
Padel’s Global Expansion
The countries with the highest number of courts are Spain (nearly 17,000), Italy (9,700), and Argentina (7,000). However, the sport is experiencing rapid growth in several European nations: both France and the Netherlands surpassed 1,000 courts in 2025, while the United Kingdom and Germany have also seen significant increases, with a combined total of 800 courts. Across Europe, there are now nearly 48,000 padel courts—a staggering 170% increase since 2020.
In South America, padel’s expansion continues at a rapid pace. Besides Argentina and Brazil, countries like Chile and Paraguay have surpassed 2,000 courts, while emerging markets like Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica are developing strong player communities.
In Central and North America, Mexico is experiencing a padel boom, while in the United States, the sport is now played in more than 30 states, with 650 courts already in operation.
In Africa, beyond Egypt—where padel has been played for years—the sport is growing significantly in South Africa, Morocco, and Tunisia.
In Asia, padel is booming not only in the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar) but also in Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, and even China.
Finally, in Oceania, padel is beginning to establish itself. New Zealand installed its first courts in 2024, and Australia is expected to experience a full-fledged padel boom in the coming years, with several competitions already in the planning stages.