New report finds padel is evolving beyond the court into a global investment category, with the UK emerging as Europe's most in-demand market and clubs transforming into holistic wellness destinations
Madrid, Spain - May 28, 2026 - Playtomic, the world's largest racquet sports community, and Strategy&, PwC's strategy consulting arm, today released the 2026 Playtomic Global Padel Report, widely referred to as the “Bible of Padel”. The report confirms padel's continued global expansion and documents how the sport is transforming from a fast-growing leisure activity into a recognised investment category, a real estate asset class and a holistic wellness destination.
Global growth remains strong. Nearly 5,000 new clubs and almost 8,000 new courts were added worldwide in 2025 alone, bringing the global total to more than 20,900 clubs, 58,300 courts and 19.4 million players. The global market is forecast to reach approximately 91,000 courts by 2028.
For the first time, the report classifies markets into five archetypes by maturity and demand quality. The UK and Germany are identified as “Hotspot markets”, characterised by demand consistently outpacing supply and strong unit economics attracting institutional capital. The UK has grown at an 86% compound annual growth rate since 2021, around 85% average court occupancy, and approximately half of all UK players report difficulty booking a court at peak times. The United States is classified as a “Diamond in the Rough”, a high-potential early-stage market with the highest average booking price in the world at 92 euros per session, and significant long-term upside as structural barriers progressively ease.
"Padel is no longer just a sport," said Pablo Carro, Co-Founder and CCO of Playtomic. "The data and insights from our platform make clear that this is a global business attracting serious investment, reshaping real estate and redefining what a sports club can be. With nearly 20 million players worldwide and markets like the UK and Germany growing at extraordinary pace, the opportunity ahead is the most compelling in sport today."
"The sports industry is progressively attracting greater attention from investors, and padel is emerging as one of the disciplines gaining traction as an investment opportunity thanks to its strong growth and the solid performance of its fundamentals," said Miren Tellería, Partner and Real Estate Sector Lead at PwC.
Padel Emerges as a Real Estate and Investment Asset
A major addition to this year's report is a dedicated chapter on padel as a real estate asset. Sports-related real estate has moved from a niche category to a recognised investment area, with institutional funds, developers and family offices actively deploying capital into padel-backed projects. Global real estate advisory firms including JLL and CBRE have created dedicated sports and entertainment real estate practices. Padel courts are increasingly integrated into residential developments, hospitality assets and mixed-use schemes as standard amenities. In Portugal, the Quinta do Lago sports-residential development has delivered approximately 30% residential value appreciation alongside owner retention rates above 75%, driven in part by its padel-anchored sports masterplan.
The Rise of Holistic Club Models
The report also documents a fundamental shift in how clubs operate. Nine out of ten top-performing clubs now offer off-court services including fitness classes, sauna and recovery facilities, social events and food and beverage. Clubs are evolving from court-booking utilities into holistic wellness destinations, functioning as third spaces where players gather before and after play. Top-performing clubs generate up to five times more booking revenue per court per month than bottom performers.
Additional findings from the report include:
· Nearly 5,000 new padel clubs opened globally in 2025, averaging nearly 14 new clubs per day
· 7,898 new padel courts were built globally in 2025, averaging nearly 22 new courts per day
· France added more courts than any other country in 2025, with 1,142 new courts
· Indonesia added approximately 800 courts in 2025, driven by major metropolitan hubs and niche resort locations
· The global padel equipment market reached 598 million euros in 2025, growing at a 34% CAGR since 2019
The full 2026 Playtomic Global Padel Report is now available to download at https://playtomic.com/global-padel-report.
About Playtomic
Playtomic is the world’s largest community of racquet sports clubs and players. Through its app, users can search for and book padel, tennis, or pickleball courts, connect with new players, find opponents, join groups, and improve their game.
With a vibrant and active global community of racquet sports enthusiasts, Playtomic is present in more than 66 countries and is used by over 4.7 million players across more than 6,500 partner clubs worldwide.