Padel has experienced a spectacular rise in popularity over the past decades, evolving from a backyard invention in Mexico into a global sport with tens of millions of players.
Today, it is estimated that only in France there are around 1 million padel players, while the sport continues to expand rapidly across Europe and beyond. But how did this “padel boom” begin?
The origins trace back to 1969 in Acapulco, Mexico, where businessman Enrique Corcuera faced a simple problem: his property was too small to build a full tennis court. Inspired by squash, he created a smaller enclosed court surrounded by walls and adapted his racket into a solid wooden version better suited for the new game. Padel was born.
In 1974, Spanish aristocrat Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe discovered the sport during a visit to Corcuera. Fascinated, he built the first padel courts in Spain at the Marbella Club. From there, the sport quickly spread across Spain and later exploded in popularity in Argentina, where it became a national favorite.
The first international competitions were held in Uruguay in 1982, while the International Padel Federation (FIP) was founded in 1989. The 1990s marked a turning point as rules were standardized and the first World Championship took place in Madrid and Seville in 1992.
The 2000s brought professionalization. The Padel Pro Tour launched in 2005, followed by the World Padel Tour in 2013, and later Premier Padel in 2022, now the sport’s top circuit. Global stars emerged, and the sport gained visibility thanks to celebrity supporters, including Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, and Fernando Alonso.
According to FIP estimates, padel could reach 35 million players in 150 countries by the end of 2025. While Spain remains the global leader, countries like Italy, Sweden, and France are experiencing rapid growth.
From a simple idea in a Mexican garden to a worldwide sporting phenomenon, padel’s journey raises a new question: could it become part of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games?