Padel passes 40 million players and 91,200 courts, says FIP World Padel Report

The International Padel Federation (FIP) released the FIP World Padel Report 2026 on Wednesday 14 October, the third edition of its yearly snapshot of the sport. The headline numbers: more than 40 million active players, over 91,200 courts worldwide and a presence in 191 countries and territories.

Another big year for courts and clubs

Almost 14,000 courts were added in twelve months, up 20.4% on the 2025 report, along with 3,890 new clubs. Padel is now played in 21 more countries than a year ago, and registered players have risen 30.5% to 1,110,000. The report counts 100 affiliated federations; since Monday's General Assembly in Madrid, the FIP has 115 members.

A first look at the economic footprint

The big addition this year is World Padel Impact, a study produced with the consultancy OpenEconomics. It estimates annual spending across the padel industry at €6.84 billion, with €13.07 billion in economic output, more than 235,000 jobs and €8.6 billion in GDP, meaning every euro spent on the sport generates €1.26 of GDP. The study looks at court rental, facility construction, equipment, tournaments and spending by country, and every member federation gets its own profile.

More events in more places

The report also reviews the FIP's four circuits (Premier Padel, CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and FIP Beyond). After 290 tournaments in 50 countries in 2025, 434 have been confirmed across 62 countries for 2026. FIP President Luigi Carraro describes "a sport experiencing strong and continuous expansion" and sees young players as the bridge between the grassroots game and the pro tour.

With close to 4,000 new venues in a year, competition between clubs is getting tougher; our guide covers ways to make a padel club more profitable.

Sources: FIP and Padel Star.

Illustrative image generated with AI; not a photo of the event.