The rise of padel began in 1969, when Enrique Corcuera walled in a small court at his home in Acapulco, Mexico. Spain and Argentina adopted the game in the early 1970s, and about 35 million amateurs now play worldwide. In the United States, about 1.07 million people played in 2025, and the country had just over 1,000 courts by April 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Padel started on one private court in Acapulco in 1969 and reached Spain and Argentina within a few years.
- Spain is the sport’s center, with 17,000 courts in 2024 and more than 6 million people who play.
- US court counts rose from more than 650 in March 2025 to just over 1,000 in April 2026.
- Official play needs a fully enclosed court, so the rise of padel only moves as fast as people build courts.
Where Padel Came From: A Short History of Padel Tennis
Padel, which many people call padel tennis, was born from a space problem. Enrique Corcuera wanted a tennis court at his house in Las Brisas, Acapulco, but his yard was too small for a full one.
In 1969 he built something smaller: a court about 65.6 by 32.8 feet (20 by 10 m), closed in by walls about 10 feet (3 m) high, with a tennis net across the middle. According to the International Padel Federation’s official history, his wife Viviana wrote the first set of rules.
Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe, who spent summer holidays at the Corcuera home, built courts at the Marbella Club Hotel in southern Spain in the early 1970s.
Around the same time, Julio Menditeguy took the game to Argentina. Early courts there went up at Club Tortugas and the Mar del Plata Ocean Club.
Padel Milestones From 1969 to 2025
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Enrique Corcuera builds the first court at his Acapulco home |
| Early 1970s | Courts open at the Marbella Club Hotel in Spain, and the game reaches Argentina |
| 1980s | Play spreads to Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, France, the United States and Canada |
| 1988 | Argentina forms the world’s first national padel association |
| 1991 | The International Padel Federation (FIP) is founded in Madrid on July 12 |
| 1992 | The first World Padel Championship is held in Madrid and Seville |
| 1993 | The group now called USA Padel is founded in Houston, Texas |
| 1997 | Spain and Argentina unify the rules and settle on the name “padel” |
| 2013 | The World Padel Tour starts and leads the pro game through 2023 |
| 2022 | Premier Padel launches as the official global pro tour |
| 2023 | The Pro Padel League plays its first season in Zephyrhills, Florida |
| 2024 | The two pro tours become one Premier Padel tour governed by FIP |
| 2025 | Premier Padel holds its first US event since the merger, in Miami Beach |
How Spain and Argentina Built a Global Sport
Argentina organized first. It formed the world’s first national padel association in 1988. In 1989, coach Jorge Galeotti introduced the Crystal Palace, the first glass court that could be taken apart and moved.
Argentina, Spain and Uruguay founded FIP in Madrid in 1991. Six years later, Spain and Argentina agreed on one rulebook, and “padel” replaced “paddle.”
Padel in Spain by the Numbers
FIP figures for 2024 count 17,000 courts, up 5% in a year, at nearly 4,500 clubs and sports facilities. That works out to one court for every 2,800 people.
More than 6 million people in Spain play padel, about 12.7% of the population, according to a survey FIP cites. The Spanish federation issued 109,040 player licenses in 2024, up 8% from 2023.
From the Padel Pro Tour to Premier Padel
The Padel Pro Tour ran from 2005 to 2012, followed by the World Padel Tour from 2013 to 2023. Premier Padel launched in 2022 as the official global tour.
In August 2023, Qatar Sports Investments agreed to buy the World Padel Tour so the two circuits could merge. Since 2024, they have run as one Premier Padel tour under FIP. FIP now has 100 affiliated national federations and counts about 35 million amateur players worldwide.
The Rise of Padel in the United States
FIP says the game reached the United States in the 1980s. In 1993, Ed Thompson and Felipe Arnold started the first national association at the Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa in Houston.
That group is now USA Padel, the national governing body recognized by FIP. It dropped the name United States Padel Association in June 2026. According to USA Padel, the US has played in every FIP World Championship since 1994.
The recent jump is what most people mean by the rise of padel in America. In May 2023, the Pro Padel League opened its first season in Zephyrhills, Florida, with seven teams. In March 2025, Premier Padel held a P1 event, one level below the Majors, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US courts, March 2025 | More than 650 in 31 states | WLRN |
| Court growth, two years to March 2025 | 186% | FIP study via WLRN |
| Florida’s share of US courts, March 2025 | Nearly half | WLRN |
| US courts, April 2026 | Just over 1,000 in 31 states | USA Padel |
| Americans who played, 2025 | About 1.07 million | SFIA |
| Core players (8 or more times), 2025 | About 238,000 | SFIA |
| Sanctioned open tournaments, 2025 | 104 | USA Padel |
| Tournaments on the 2026 calendar | 255, with more added monthly | USA Padel |
Player counts come from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Court and tournament counts come from USA Padel’s April 2026 growth update and a WLRN report on the Miami event.
USA Padel projects 10,000 courts and more than 10 million players by 2030, a governing body target, not an independent forecast.
Why Growth Follows the Courts
FIP rules require a fully enclosed court, because the walls are part of play. You cannot set up a portable net in a driveway and call it padel. So court counts are the clearest measure of the rise of padel.
For the player side of the story, see why padel is a great sport. For rules and court sizes side by side, read our padel vs pickleball comparison.
What the Rise of Padel Means for Clubs, HOAs and Homeowners
A padel court is a structure, not a painted slab. These specs come from the FIP Rules of Padel in force from January 1, 2026.
- Playing area. 65.6 by 32.8 feet (20 by 10 m), measured inside the walls.
- End walls. 13.1 feet (4 m) tall: 9.8 feet (3 m) of glass or solid wall topped by 3.3 feet (1 m) of metal mesh.
- Surface. Cement, synthetic material or artificial grass, in green, blue or terracotta tones.
- Overhead room. At least 19.7 feet (6 m) of clear height, with 26.2 feet (8 m) suggested for new facilities.
- Lighting. Light poles outside the court, with the bottom of each fixture at least 19.7 feet (6 m) off the ground.
For Clubs, Parks and Schools
The official rules are written for pairs, so four people share every court on a small footprint. A commercial court build can add padel beside your existing tennis or pickleball courts.
For HOAs
Despite the rise of padel, a community court is still rare, with only about 1,000 courts nationwide. Plan booking, lighting hours and a spot that respects nearby homes.
For Homeowners
A backyard court needs a flat, well-drained pad larger than the 65.6 by 32.8 foot playing box, plus room for posts and a walkway. Ask your town about height limits and setbacks early, because the end walls stand about 13 feet tall.
Our padel court construction process has three steps:
- Talk with our team. We measure your space and recommend a layout.
- We draw a custom court design for your property.
- Our crews build and install the court.
We build in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Austin and Houston, the city where the first US padel association formed in 1993.
Tip: For outdoor courts, FIP recommends running the long axis north to south, with some leeway toward north-northeast or north-northwest. Settle orientation before the base goes in.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Rise of Padel
Who invented padel and when?
Enrique Corcuera invented padel in 1969 at his home in Las Brisas, Acapulco, Mexico. His yard was too small for tennis, so he built a smaller walled court with a net across the middle. His wife, Viviana, wrote the first rules, and the game reached Spain and Argentina in the early 1970s.
Is padel the same as padel tennis?
Yes. Padel tennis is a common nickname for padel, the sport governed by the International Padel Federation. The nickname fits because padel keeps tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40 and game, with sets to six games and matches played best of three sets. Argentina spelled it “paddle” until 1997, when Spain and Argentina unified the rules and settled on “padel.”
How many people play padel in the United States?
About 1.07 million Americans played padel in 2025, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Roughly 238,000 of them were core players who played eight or more times that year. USA Padel counted just over 1,000 courts across 31 states in April 2026.
Why is padel growing so fast?
Padel is played in pairs on a small enclosed court, so four people share every booking. The pro game is also easier to see, with a US pro league since 2023 and a Premier Padel event in Miami Beach in 2025. The SFIA notes that many Americans first discover padel while traveling abroad.
Where is padel most popular?
Spain stands out, with 17,000 courts and more than 6 million players, according to FIP figures for 2024. Argentina, home of the first national association, is the other historic stronghold. The SFIA also names Mexico, Sweden, Italy and the United Arab Emirates as places where padel is well established.
Ready to Build a Padel Court?
My Backyard Sports designs and builds padel courts for homes, HOAs, clubs and schools, and our own crews handle the base, surfacing and lines. Tell us about your space, and we will measure it and recommend a layout.