How Padel Took Over the World — and Why the U.S. Is Next
By Padel Content Team
At International Padel Federation (FIP), it’s estimated that over 30 million amateurs in nearly 150 countries now play Padel — a remarkable leap for a sport that began in Mexico in 1969. In the feature article “How padel took over the world” on The Week, it’s described as the “world’s fastest‑growing sport” by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
For the U.S.‑based website and community at Padel Netsetters, this is exciting. We’re bringing global momentum into the American market, laying the foundation for padel’s next big surge in the U.S., while celebrating its international roots.
From Backyard Innovation to Global Phenomenon
The sport’s origins are unexpectedly modest: Enrique Corcuera built a smaller, walled version of a tennis court in his Acapulco backyard because he didn’t have space for a full tennis court. What began as an improvised game has grown into a global lifestyle.
In the U.K., around 1,500 courts have sprung up since the pandemic — an exponential growth pattern. In Spain and parts of Latin America, padel already rivals or even surpasses tennis in popularity.
Why It’s Booming: The Unique Appeal of Padel
Several factors make padel especially compelling in today’s sports and fitness landscape:
Accessibility: Beginner‑friendly. As Jamie Murray put it: “It’s a fun sport, a very sociable sport… It’s a lot easier to get started in the game than tennis.”
Social & inclusive: The format (mostly doubles), the smaller courts, and the glass walls make it dynamic and communal.
Full‑body workout in a smaller footprint: You get the thrill of racquet sport rallies without the full size of a tennis court.
Global crossover & celeb cachet: Stars such as David Beckham, Lionel Messi, and royalty like Prince William have been spotted playing, signalling padel’s growing profile.
Trend momentum: It feels fresh—and that gives players and clubs alike the sense of being “on the ground floor” of something big.
Why NOW for the U.S. Market?
While much of this growth has been in Europe and Latin America, the U.S. market is primed for lift‑off:
A recent report (Q2 2025) estimates 688 padel courts across 180 facilities in the U.S., with 112,872 playersregistered — and projects up to 900,000+ players by 2030.
Another source points to player participation increasing by 250% since 2022, with over 70% of new sports facilities built in 2024 including padel courts.
Market‑size estimates: the U.S. padel sports market was valued at ~$97 million in 2024 and is projected to reach ~$174 million by 2034.
In short: infrastructure is ramping up, awareness is rising, and the U.S. looks ready to embrace padel in a big way. For a website like Padel Netsetters, focused on the U.S. market while drawing on global trends, this is a perfect moment.
Challenges & What to Watch
Growth is exciting—but not without hurdles. Some of the key challenges:
Noise & neighborhood issues: The glass‑walled courts can produce loud impacts that sometimes draw complaints from neighbors.
Infrastructure gap: One report shows the U.S. has ~505,000 people per padel court — whereas leading countries like Spain/Sweden have 2,000‑3,000 people per court, indicating both huge opportunity and risk of lagging supply.
Coaching & club‑model maturity: As the sport scales, quality coaching, club operations, and marketing are critical. Another report flagged staff/coach supply and operator inexperience among key risks.
Avoiding the “fad boom” trap: Some countries have seen rapid padel court build‑out saturate the market. Sustainable growth means balancing investment, demand and community engagement.
What This Means for U.S. Players & Clubs
For American players, clubs, instructors and investors, here are key takeaways:
Players: If you’re looking for a new racquet sport with high social energy, easier entry than tennis, and a global vibe — padel offers that now.
Clubs/venues: Converting tennis courts or building dedicated padel courts offers opportunity—especially in underserved regions, given the current court‑to‑population gap.
Instructors/coaches: Learning padel‑specific skills (volleying off walls, doubles‑specific strategy, racket types) will be a differentiator.
Brands & gear: As the U.S. market expands, opportunities will grow for gear, apparel, tournaments, social events and even lifestyle branding tied to padel.
Communities: Because the sport is inherently social, building a community—league structure, social nights, mixed ability play—is key for retention and growth.
Bringing It Back to the U.S. Focus at Padel Netsetters
At Padel Netsetters we serve the U.S. community, while connecting you to global developments. Here’s how this blog helps:
We’ve placed U.S. market context front and centre: why now is the time for American padel.
We’ve drawn on international growth stories (UK, Spain, global federation stats) to show the sport’s trajectory.
We’ll continue to publish how‑to guides, club profiles, gear reviews, interviews with U.S. players/coaches, and international trend insights — all tailored for the U.S. audience.
Padel Isn’t Just a Passing Trend
With its combination of accessibility, social appeal, global growth and infrastructure build‑out, it’s uniquely positioned to become a major racquet sport in the U.S. — and for clubs and players who jump in early, the opportunities are excellent.
Whether you’re just thinking of picking up a padel racket or you’re a club operator looking to add padel courts, now is the moment. The tennis courts are full — but the padel courts are waiting.