As of January 2023, Italy boasts an impressive 6,470 paddle courts, with 1,800 courts built in 2022 alone, representing a staggering 39% increase.
Italy ranks second in the world in terms of number of courts and number of professional events played
“Padel has experienced a real boom in recent years in Italy, not only on a sporting level but also in terms of infrastructure and investment,” comments Luigi Onorato, partner at Monitor Deloitte
Surpassing Sweden, Italy clinches the silver medal position in the paddle court count, 6470 as of January 2023 versus 4200 in the Scandinavian country. Few would have bet on that a few years ago when Padel passed only for being an averagely bizarre sporting pastime, a snobbish relative of tennis. While the unrivaled leader is another Mediterranean country, Spain, with an astounding 15,300 courts as of the same date. In 2022 alone, 1,800 were built in the Boot, an increase of 39 percent over the previous year. The “Global Padel Report,” a publication by Monitor Deloitte and Playatomic, reveals the remarkable expansion of this new sports industry not only in Italy but worldwide.
Investing in Padel in Italy?
Italy secures the second-highest position on the podium (still behind Spain) also in the ranking of professional events held in the country: in 2022, there were 13 events, 11 organized by the International Padel Federation and two belonging to the Premier Padel. In third place in this ranking, it is not Sweden but Mexico. “Padel has experienced a real boom in recent years in Italy, not only in sports but also in terms of infrastructure and investments,” comments Luigi Onorato, partner at Monitor Deloitte. “The report by Monitor Deloitte Spain and Playatomic highlights how the growth is expected to continue, reaching a more global dimension and positioning itself as a real alternative to more traditional sports.” In general, Padel has not only experienced a post-Covid-19 boom but has gained enormous popularity in recent years and shows growth potential in various markets around the world, making it an enticing opportunity for investors. In this regard, the nations with the highest growth potential are the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, but the possibility of attracting an increasing number of enthusiasts is also concrete in the United States and Asia.
Padel: Court numbers set to more than double in the next three years
According to the forecasts from the data, by 2026 there will be around 85,000 padel courts worldwide, more than double the current number, which is close to 40,000. The entire industry is valued at almost 2 billion euros. In general, the growth of courts in 2022 increased by 28% (8,200 units), while the number of clubs in the same period increased by 24% (1,914). In the same year, around 6,600 courts were built in Europe. Elena Martín, senior manager at Monitor Deloitte, adds, “The data in the report once again highlights the growth of padel among fans and the interest of investors in contributing to its development, particularly regarding court construction and the creation of new clubs. These numbers allow us to make an optimistic projection for the short and medium term, both in the already developed markets and in the emerging ones.”
More than just a sport: Padel is about socializing
Moreover, “this new edition of the global padel report reveals which countries will soon be the epicenter of padel,” concludes Pablo Carro, co-founder and CCO of Playtomic. “We have made a tremendous effort to understand the factors driving this sport to become a global phenomenon. Thanks to this survey, we have fully understood that the highly interconnected community created through padel facilitates social relationships, making it a perceived lifestyle that goes beyond fun and sports.”
