Padel's college era begins: College Padel League launches national collegiate padel competition for the United States

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, USA, October 19 — The College Padel League (CPL) today launches its national collegiate padel competition in the United States, giving American college students an organized structure to play, compete, and build a lifelong connection with the sport. The launch closes a gap that has persisted even as padel has taken off nationally: according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association's (SFIA) mid-year 2026 report, padel participation grew 14.5% in the 12 months to June 2026 — the fastest growth rate of any activity SFIA tracks, overtaking pickleball, which had held the title for five straight years.

Founded by five US padel club operators and the Pro Padel League (PPL), the CPL provides university students with a structured platform to play, compete, and build a lifelong connection with the sport. With a confirmed operator network spanning coast to coast, and an inaugural Playoffs taking place alongside the PPL Finals in Miami, the CPL’s arrival signifies a landmark moment for Padel's prospects in the U.S. and for collegiate sport.

Ryan Durishin, CEO, College Padel League, said: "The arrival of the CPL is a milestone for collegiate sport in the United States, and for student padel globally. We didn't set out to build a league — we set out to solve a problem. By bringing together five heavyweight operators across ten cities, we tackled the biggest issue facing the sport in America: readily accessible courts. With no courts on campus, rather than waiting on the sidelines we took the bold step of bringing together top operators committed to giving students access to world-class infrastructure, while also enabling training and tournament preparation year-round.”

The single biggest obstacle to college padel to date has been access: almost no U.S. campuses have their own courts, and building them isn't realistic on a college timeline or budget. The CPL removes that barrier entirely. Participation is covered at launch for the student or the university. Universities pair with their nearest CPL operator partner for court time and coaching, meaning any student, at any partner institution, can play competitively with a structure in place.

At the heart of the CPL is a five-operator founding network — some of the most recognized padel clubs in America — who have assembled to become equity partners in the league, for the good of the sport. Their courts, coaching, and infrastructure form the backbone of a system that allows university students across the country to access organized padel without a single campus court required.

The five founding operator partners are:

· Ultra Padel (Miami) — host venue for the CPL Playoffs Phase 1

· Padel 39 (Austin, Dallas)

· Epic Padel (Charlotte, Milwaukee, Richmond)

· Padel N9ne (San Diego)

· Bay Padel (San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles)

Together, the operator network covers partner universities across more than 20 institutions at launch, spanning the Atlantic, Continental, Southeastern, Southwestern, Western, Upper Midwest, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest regions of the country — with a roadmap to 40-plus universities by the end of Season One.

The College Padel League is built from the bottom up. Every CPL club is student-led — founded, run, and grown by the players themselves. The CPL's role is to give those students the tools, the structure, and the support that no collegiate sports organization has ever provided for padel in America.

Season One will culminate with the CPL Playoffs in Miami — a three-day national collegiate championship timed alongside the Pro Padel League Finals, who will host the CPL’s championship match. Up to 20 college teams will compete across men's and women's categories for a $20,000 prize pool — part of a total player value package worth approximately $185000 across flights, hotels, subsidies, and prize money. It's a significant commitment to student-athletes, and one intended to set a benchmark for university padel worldwide.

The CPL is built on a conviction widely shared across international sport: that US college sport sets the pace, and the world follows. For decades, the NCAA model has shaped what tennis, golf, swimming, and basketball became — both domestically and internationally. The CPL is betting on padel to follow the same trajectory.

"The college game has never been an afterthought in American sport — it's where a sport builds cultural relevance. Basketball, football, wrestling, even soccer all built their US fanbases on campuses before they built them anywhere else. For decades, international students have used tennis and golf scholarships as a pathway into American universities — we believe the CPL opens that same route for padel players worldwide. Every generation of American college athletes has had a sport to call their own, and we're giving that to padel players right now, at the moment this sport is taking off," added Durishin.

Nico Agritelley, US National Padel Team Player and CPL Board Member, said: "Students across America have a real structure for padel — not just a casual hit with friends, but a competitive pathway that begins on day one of university and builds through a full national season. Students who discover padel in college now have somewhere to take it — organized club play, regional competition, and a national championship on a professional stage. That's a big deal for the sport, and I'm proud to be part of building it from the ground up.”

Jordi Lujan, US National Team Player and CPL Board Member, said: “I played college tennis, so I know what being part of a university team gives you: the friendships, the discipline, the pride of wearing your school's colors. Padel players have never had that structure until now. This is the moment college padel truly arrives in the United States, and the CPL gives this generation the college sports experience I had, in a sport they can play for the rest of their lives."

University registration is now open. Universities pair with their nearest CPL operator partner for subsidized court time and coaching, register their teams directly through the CPL website, and qualify for the CPL Playoffs in Miami through local operator mini-tournaments. Teams and players joining Season One are getting in on the ground floor of the league that will define collegiate padel in America.

The CPL covers participation costs in full at launch — courts, coaching, travel, and accommodation for competing teams are all included. Every registered player earns official World Padel Rating (WPR) rating points and is eligible for NIL opportunities through CPL's sponsor and content network.

For further information on getting involved, as a player, college or club operator, visit CPL: collegepadelleague.com

The College Padel League (CPL) is the first nationally unified collegiate padel competition in the United States. Founded in 2026 by the Pro Padel League (PPL) and America's top five padel operators, the CPL provides university students with a structured, supported platform for organized competitive padel — from club play to the national Playoffs.

Ben Nichols | The 22 ben@thetwentytwo.co

Communications lead — College Padel League