FIP World Padel Report 2026: 40 million players, €8.6bn GDP impact

The International Padel Federation (FIP) has published its World Padel Report 2026. The figures put more than 40 million people playing padel worldwide and the number of courts up by more than 20 per cent in a year. For the first time, the report also includes a study of the sport's economic impact: padel now generates an estimated €8.6 billion in global GDP.

This is the third edition of the report, released on 14 October, and it describes a sport that keeps growing rather than levelling off. FIP counts 91,234 courts worldwide, around 14,000 more than in the previous edition. The report says that works out to roughly 40 new courts a day, or one every 36 minutes.

Players, clubs and countries

Of the more than 40 million players, about 27 million play regularly, weekly or every two weeks, according to the breakdown published by Padel Addict. Women make up 47 per cent of players, one of the highest female participation rates of any sport. Licensed players grew by around 30 per cent to roughly 1.11 million.

The number of clubs has reached 28,497, around three times the 2020 figure. Padel is now played in 191 countries and territories, 21 more than a year ago, and 59 countries have more than 100 courts, up from 47. FIP-sanctioned competition has grown at a similar rate: 434 tournaments in 62 countries are confirmed for 2026, compared with about 290 in 50 countries in 2025.

Spain still leads, Asia overtakes Europe on new clubs

Spain is still padel's biggest market by a distance, with more than 17,700 courts. The report describes it as having entered a phase of maturity, with growth slower than in younger markets. Europe as a whole still holds more than 60 per cent of the world's courts. France has around 5,000, and the United Kingdom and Germany each have more than 2,000.

The headline trend, though, is in Asia. For the first time, more new clubs opened there than in Europe. Indonesia led the surge with 769 new clubs and more than 2,500 new courts this year. In the Americas, the United States passed 1,000 courts after growth of around 50 per cent.

The first economic impact study

The new "World Padel Impact" study, produced with consultancy OpenEconomics, estimates annual spending on padel at €6.84 billion and total economic output at €13.07 billion. It credits the sport with more than 235,000 jobs and calculates that every euro spent on padel generates €1.26 of GDP. Court rental accounts for about two thirds of spending, while professional tournaments make up only around 1.4 per cent.

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Spain alone accounts for more than €1.1 billion in spending and over 15,500 jobs, around one sixth of global padel expenditure. Measured per head, Sweden stands out, with padel generating close to €28 of GDP per inhabitant.

FIP President Luigi Carraro said: "The Report gives us a picture of a sport experiencing strong and continuous expansion." He added: "The amateur game, which represents the extraordinary foundation of our sport, continues to grow, while professional padel is also expanding." He described young talent as "a fundamental bridge" between the two.

The report is available on padelfip.com, along with an interactive mini-site where the economic data can be explored country by country. FIP says 357 players from its Promises youth circuit have already moved up to the professional tours.