Britain’s padel craze set to serve up £200m a year

Britain's padel boom is on course for a £200 million-a-year economy in just seven years, according to new analysis from Novuna Finance, as the country's fastest-growing sport continues its rapid rise.

From just 15,000 players in 2019 to more than one million today, padel has grown from a niche pastime into one of Britain's fastest-growing leisure markets in less than a decade.

From niche pastime to multi-million-pound powerhouse

Few sports build an economy this quickly. Novuna’s analysis found that Britain's padel boom has grown into an estimated £180 million industry, driven by spending on court bookings (£84m-£123m) and new court constructions (£46m-£110m), underlining how rapidly the sport has moved into the mainstream.

The findings show Britain's padel economy has effectively been built in the space of a single economic cycle, something that has taken many other participation sports decades to achieve.

One million already play but millions more are waiting

While player numbers have already topped one million, current participation may represent only a fraction of the sport's long-term potential.

More than eight million people say they would like to give the sport a go, suggesting today's player base is only scratching the surface of its potential.

For those already hooked, the costs soon add up. Novuna estimates someone playing around four times a month could spend approximately £950 a year on court bookings, coaching and equipment.

The boom is here, now Britain needs the infrastructure

Britain added 683 new padel courts during 2025 as operators raced to keep up with soaring demand. But for many would-be players, finding a court remains the biggest challenge, with access still heavily skewed towards more affluent areas.

With millions more people keen to give padel a go, the sport's next phase of growth will depend on the race to build the right infrastructure to match the boom.

Theresa Lindsay, Chief Marketing Officer at Novuna Finance, said:

“Padel's rise shows just how quickly a sport can go from a niche interest to becoming a major part of Britain's leisure economy. As more people take to the court, spending is growing across clubs, coaching, equipment and creating a new generation of facilities.

“The London Premier Padel P1 tournament is another milestone in that journey. High profile sporting events like this bring more players into the sport all while boosting local businesses and investment.

“The challenge now is keeping pace with demand, and the commercial opportunity is substantial. Britain needs enough courts, funding, and long-term investment to ensure the infrastructure is there to meet the sport’s ambitions.”