A number that was unthinkable in 2022
When padel's first Paris Major was held at Roland-Garros in 2022, it drew 27,000 spectators across the tournament week. Four editions later, the 2026 Alpine Paris Major — held from 7 to 13 September — closed with 81,000 people having passed through the gates, according to the International Padel Federation. The figure represents an increase of more than 26 per cent on 2025's total and is the largest single-year jump in absolute numbers in the event's history.
Both Saturday and Sunday sold out, with approximately 15,000 spectators per day filling the show court for the semi-finals and finals sessions. In the men's final, Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia claimed the title for the fourth time at Roland-Garros, defeating Federico Chingotto and Alejandro Galán 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (1) in a match that required a super-tiebreak to separate them. In the women's final, Ariana Sánchez and Andrea Ustero were dominant, overcoming Claudia Fernández and Martina Calvo 6-2, 6-0 to take their first Major title together.
Five years, three times the audience
The attendance progression at the Paris Major maps padel's growth in France with unusual precision. After 27,000 in 2022 the numbers moved to 37,000 in 2023, then to more than 64,000 in 2024, before a slight dip to 62,128 in 2025. The 2026 figure of 81,000 represents a tripling of the audience since the inaugural edition just four years ago.
A new element contributed to this year's total: the Padel Festival, staged on 6 September at Roland-Garros — the day before qualifying began. According to the FIP, the festival brought 11,217 visitors to the venue, offering recreational play and first-time exposure to the professional tournament environment for audiences who might not yet have bought tickets to the competitive event itself.
What the Roland-Garros crowd means for the sport
Padel has grown faster in France than in almost any other European market outside Spain. The Paris Major has been central to that growth: a high-profile professional event at one of the world's most recognisable sports venues, now drawing crowds that are directly comparable to ATP and WTA events at the same address during the spring fortnight.
The FIP drew a deliberate parallel in its post-tournament communication, linking the Roland-Garros record to the FIP Senior World Cup currently under way in Buenos Aires, where 58 nations are competing through 19 September. The argument is straightforward: spectator figures at the top and participation numbers at the grassroots are rising simultaneously, and the trajectory at both levels points in the same direction.
What comes next
The professional circuit moves on without pause. The FIP Platinum Lyon is set for 21 to 27 September, with the draw published and Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz heading the men's seeds in the absence of Alejandro Galán and Federico Chingotto. The Premier Padel calendar then continues toward the season-ending Finals in Barcelona. For organisers and for the sport in France, the 81,000 figure at Roland-Garros is now the benchmark the 2027 Paris Major will need to beat.
Padel Post Redaktion
The Padel Post editorial team covers professional padel worldwide — World Padel Tour, Premier Padel and beyond.
