Padel in the UK

Oxygen Consulting began studying padel in 2023 as the sport moved from a relatively niche activity towards a significant new part of the UK sport and leisure landscape.

What began as an investigation into why padel was growing has developed into an ongoing programme of independent research into court supply, operators, participation, pricing, player behaviour, accessibility, planning and investment. Our first UK Padel Report was launched at Savills in London in April 2025, followed by the second edition in June 2026.

Why we study UK padel

Padel is a global sport, but its development in the UK cannot be understood simply by looking at what has happened in Spain, Sweden or other international markets. The UK market is being shaped by its own planning system, property economics, climate, patterns of sports participation and questions of accessibility and social inequality. These factors influence where courts are built, what they cost to use and ultimately who gets the opportunity to play.

Since beginning our work in padel, Oxygen Consulting has developed an ongoing programme of independent padel research and analysis. Our work explores court growth, venue and operating models, pricing, access, player behaviour, planning, investment dynamics and the wider role padel can play in supporting physical activity, wellbeing and community value.

The 2026 UK Padel Report, published in June 2026, builds on our original study and examines the sport’s next strategic challenge: converting growing demand into regular, affordable and sustainable participation. Our approach is deliberately independent. We are interested not simply in how quickly padel grows, but in how responsibly, sustainably and widely that growth is shared.

UK padel market: growth, courts and participation

How many padel courts are there in the UK?

Oxygen Consulting identified 1,490 padel courts across 465 venues in the UK at the end of 2025, up from 710 courts and 245 venues just 12 months earlier. UK court density consequently more than doubled, rising from around 1.0 to 2.1 courts per 100,000 people.

This is more than a story of rapid infrastructure growth. It signals an important change in the economics of UK padel. As court supply expands and more venues compete within the same catchments, the scarcity that characterised the sport’s early development begins to recede. Players gain more choice over where, when and at what price they play.

That has important implications for operators and investors. Pricing power is likely to weaken as local competition increases, making it harder to monetise demand simply because courts are scarce. Future performance will depend increasingly on location, convenience, court format, pricing, programming, community and the overall player experience.

From Scarcity to Scale: UK Padel Supply Growth, 2024–2025

Indicator	End-2024	End-2025	What changed
Padel courts	710	1,490	More than doubled in 12 months
Padel venues	245	465	Increased by almost 90%
Courts per 100,000 people	c1.10	2.1	More than doubled
Indoor share of courts	28%	34%	Indoor provision gained 6 percentage points

Source: Oxygen Consulting, 2026 UK Padel Report. Court and venue figures relate to year-end December 2025.

Development pipeline: UK padel planning applications increased 9.5×, from 37 in 2021 to 351 in 2025.

What UK padel growth means for operators and investors

The UK padel market is moving quickly from scarcity towards greater consumer choice. Courts more than doubled between the end of 2024 and the end of 2025, venue numbers rose by almost 90%, and planning activity points to further supply entering the market.

For operators, this changes the competitive landscape. Pricing achieved in a supply-constrained market may become harder to sustain as players gain meaningful alternatives. Oxygen Consulting’s 2026 price-sensitivity research found perceived acceptable total court prices of approximately:

• £13–£21 per hour for outdoor uncovered courts.
• £15–£25 per hour for outdoor covered courts.
• £18–£28 per hour for indoor courts.

Venues can, and do, charge above these levels. However, the findings indicate where pricing may begin to test perceived value as local choice increases. This creates the potential for a pricing shock among operators that have relied heavily on scarcity to monetise demand.

For developers and investors, the implication is equally important: rapid national growth does not make every new venue attractive. As supply expands and competition intensifies, the quality and depth of local demand becomes increasingly important. Headline national participation figures should therefore be treated with care. Someone who has played once in the past year contributes to the sport’s reach, but that is very different from the recurring demand created by monthly or weekly players.

When substantial capital is being committed to long-term padel infrastructure, the critical questions are local: catchment quality, competing provision, achievable pricing, utilisation and whether there is a sufficiently deep and habitual player base to support the venue over time. Oxygen supports creating more opportunities for people to be active, but that does not remove the need for rigorous scrutiny of demand and long-term viability.

Understanding padel and why it is growing

Padel is a racket sport usually played as doubles on a 20m x 10m enclosed court, indoors or outdoors, with glass and mesh walls that form part of the game. Singles courts also exist and measure 20m x 6m, but they remain relatively uncommon: Oxygen Consulting’s research indicates that fewer than 3% of UK padel courts are singles courts.

What makes padel different?

Imagine tennis and squash having a child called padel that thinks like a chess player. The sport combines the net and scoring structure of tennis with the rebounds and angles created by squash-style walls. Padel is also a highly tactical sport, where positioning, patience, shot selection and anticipating what happens next often matter more than simply hitting the ball with greater power.

Why is padel so accessible?

Padel is relatively easy to learn and highly sociable. Unlike tennis, where the overhead serve can take considerable time to master, padel uses an underarm serve, helping beginners start playing points quickly and often enjoy rallies during their first session. Its doubles format creates a naturally social playing experience, while its broad age appeal means that children, parents and grandparents can play together in the same game. Together, these qualities give padel real potential to help more people become more active.

What is driving padel’s global post-pandemic surge?

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed a surge in the popularity of various sports that not only provide health benefits but also serve as a means of social connectivity. Padel is one of these sports which has rapidly gained traction and has become a poster child of this trend.

Matching people with padel courts

Padel began internationalising during the 1970s, especially across Spain, where more than 15,000 courts can now be found, equivalent to approximately 323 courts for every one million people. Only Sweden has a higher padel court penetration (402 courts for every one million people) in a country where around one in every 14 Swedes now plays padel. At the end of 2023, there were fewer than 350 Padel courts across the UK which is a modest four courts per million people. This means there is presently an opportunity to build and operate new padel courts but developed in a considered and intelligent way which minimises the over-expansion witnessed in Sweden and Finland.

Opportunities for sustainable growth with sports clubs and the wider leisure sector

There might be an exciting opportunity to engage more people in a sport with the potential to span different generations. However, this requires careful matching of the appropriate indoor and outdoor infrastructure with people both players, and coaches. A strategic approach is vital to ensure that the proliferation of new Padel facilities does not surpass demand, a reality reflected by the closure of some centres in Sweden, where excessive expansion led to existing centres being cannibalised by newer ones and the closure of several padel centres.

More Padel Investment Needed in Less Affluent Areas

New research we have just completed for our forthcoming UK Padel Report reveals that padel venues are 6.5 times more prevalent in England’s most affluent areas than in the most deprived areas (see graph). This analysis of padel accessibility in England uses the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), a government measure that ranks neighbourhoods based on factors such as income, health, education, and housing, to identify areas of relative deprivation. Decile one represents the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods in England, while decile ten represents the most affluent 10%, highlighting the socio-economic divide.

UK Padel Report Series

The first UK Padel Report, published by Oxygen Consulting in April 2025, examined the early development of padel in the UK and provided an independent strategic analysis for investors, landlords, entrepreneurs, leisure operators and policymakers.

One of the report’s key findings was that padel venue provision was significantly weighted towards more affluent areas. Our analysis using the Index of Multiple Deprivation found that padel venues were 6.5 times more prevalent in England’s most affluent neighbourhoods than in the most deprived neighbourhoods, highlighting an early accessibility challenge for the sport.

The first edition explored:

• different padel business operating models
• financial analysis and property appraisals
• reviews of leading UK padel operators
• opportunities for the wider health and fitness industry
• player motivations and participation drivers
• public awareness of padel and propensity to play
• different UK padel growth scenarios to guide court infrastructure investment

The 2026 UK Padel Report builds on this original study and examines the sport’s next strategic challenge: converting growing demand into regular, affordable and sustainable participation. The latest edition explores pricing, access, venue models, player behaviour, participation barriers and the operating models likely to shape the next phase of padel in the UK.

Read more about the 2026 UK Padel Report and download the opening eight pages.

Padel consultancy support

Oxygen Consulting can support your organisation by creating detailed feasibility and viability studies for your proposed padel development. We can also advise on the most effective operating model along with introductions to a padel operating partner if this is your preferred option.

If you are planning to develop a padel facility and need expert consultancy support, Oxygen Consulting can help you. Our team can provide you with a detailed feasibility and viability study to ensure that your project meets your objectives and returns the expected results. We can also assist you in selecting the most effective operating model based on your requirements and preferences. Additionally, we can help you connect with a commercial padel operating partner if you prefer to outsource the development and long-term operation and management of the padel courts. With our consultancy support, you can make informed decisions and achieve success in your padel development project.

Design, finance, build and operate padel courts

Oxygen Consulting has established a new strategic partnership with Espalier Ventures, a successful family investment office based in Brighton. This collaboration opens the door to exploring comprehensive funding solutions for your padel project through a design, finance, build, and operate model. This unique approach not only facilitates the creation of new padel facilities but also offers your organisation the opportunity to generate annual rental income. We are committed to carefully assessing each project, starting with an initial submission of your project’s outline through the form provided below.

Further Padel Insights

For further padel tennis insights, go to insights  or use the search bar at the top of this page and enter ‘padel.’