The padel phenomenon: How the fastest growing sport is creating new business opportunities

With around 30 million active players in 130 countries and an estimated market value of 870 million US dollars by 2033, the sport is booming like no other discipline. This shows that padel is not just a sporting phenomenon, but an economic factor with enormous potential.

• Infrastructure expansion: laying the foundations for growth
• Padel: A young sport with incomparably high contagion potential
• Equipment and apparel: the padel lifestyle
• Digital platforms: Combining community and convenience
• Professional leagues and events: a stage for brands and fans
• Conclusion: Padel trends and growth potential

The rapid increase in the number of players is leading to a growing demand for playing surfaces. There are currently around 63,000 padel courts worldwide, and the trend is continuing to rise sharply.

Sporting goods retailers such as Decathlon are specifically focusing on operating their own courts in order to strengthen customer loyalty and sales experiences:

• In the UK, Decathlon opened temporary pop-up courts at its store locations in Stockport and Glasgow in 2024 in collaboration with the provider Soul Padel . Due to their success, permanent padel courts are now being planned there to combine sports activation with stationary retail.
• In India, Decathlon opened its first own padel court at the Anubhava location in Bengaluru.

These examples show: Those who use infrastructure as a strategic lever, be it for brand loyalty, community building or product experience, can position themselves sustainably in the rapidly growing padel market.

Padel requires specialized equipment: lightweight rackets, special balls and stylish, functional clothing are in demand. Although the figures vary depending on the region, industry observations indicate a strong growth in market interest.

Brands such as Adidas and Babolat are focusing on designs and influencer marketing to establish themselves in this dynamic niche:

• Adidas cooperates with well-known padel pros such as Ale Galán, Martita Ortega, Álex Ruiz and Seba Neronewho act as brand ambassadors on social media and thus increase the visibility of the brand in the padel segment. Adidas also supports the Pro Padel League in North America as a partner - a strategic step towards international positioning.
  
• Babolat developed with the top player Juan Lebrón to develop its own product line with rackets, shoes and clothing. The cooperation is not only used for brand profiling, but also strengthens the emotional bond with the target group of ambitious padel fans.

For retailers, this means reacting to trends at an early stage, adapting the range and style to new requirements and offering exclusive products with a lifestyle factor. This creates clear competitive advantages.

Padel is not only growing on the court, but also digitally. The Playtomic platform has established itself as a leading provider and has more than one million active users per month worldwide. With over 4800 connected clubs in 49 countries , Playtomic offers a comprehensive solution for booking courts, organizing leagues and managing tournaments.

In addition, Playtomic Manager enables clubs and providers to efficiently manage their offers and reach new target groups. Functions such as online booking systems, payment processing, member management and community features make the sport more accessible for players and more economically attractive for operators.

Padel has long been more than just a trend - it has developed into a dynamic growth market with high economic relevance. For companies in the sports business, a wide range of opportunities are opening up along the entire value chain, from infrastructure and product innovations to digital solutions and professional events.

An outstanding example of the enormous potential of padel is the success of the Hexagon Cup. Since its premiere in 2024, the Spanish sporting event has developed at an impressive pace into one of the most successful and fascinating padel team tournaments in the world. The second edition in January 2025 in the Madrid Arena attracted over 30,000 spectators and was completely sold out on the last two days of the event.

What makes the Hexagon Cup so unique is its innovative team format: eight teams compete against each other, with each team consisting of three pairings - in the categories Men, Women and Next Gen. This concept combines different generations and playing styles and ensures varied, exciting encounters that go far beyond the classic tournament format.

Celebrity team captains such as Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Eva Longoria also ensure that the tournament attracts outstanding media attention. But the Hexagon Cup offers more than just sport: with live DJs, fan zones and interactive experiences, it creates a unique atmosphere that inspires spectators and participants alike.

In close partnership with ISPO 2025 for the Padel & Pickleball Village, Hexagon Cup also aims to further promote padel worldwide and even enable its inclusion in the Olympic Games in the long term. At the Padel & Pickleball Village, you can meet brands, retailers and service providers, learn about new trends, exchange ideas and discover new business opportunities. Gain insights into modern padel courts and facilities, new products, lifestyle trends and digital platforms that make bookings and tournaments easier. Here you will find all the important information and partners for professional leagues and major events. Be there - from 30. NOV. - 02. DEZ. in Munich.

• Strong growth: Padel is developing into one of the fastest growing sports worldwide with increasing economic importance.

• Infrastructure expansion: Demand for courts is growing continuously, creating new opportunities for brands and operators.

• Lifestyle and equipment: Specialized products and influencer marketing promote the lifestyle positioning of padel.

• Digital networking: Platforms connect players and clubs and offer efficient solutions for organization and community building.

• Professionalization: Professional leagues and major events increase visibility and create new sponsorship and marketing opportunities.