Top Countries to Play Padel In
Now that the pandemic is slowly losing it’s grip over the world, countries are slowly opening their gates to tourists and international travel is slowly pick up it’s pace.
Let’s see which countries are the most popular when it comes to padel players so that if you’re planning on travelling, you’d know which countries have the most clubs for you to stop by!
Right on top of the list is Spain
Padel is most prevalent in Spain, with over 4 million players and most professional players on the global padel tour representing Spain at the top level!
If you travel on vacation to Spain or reside out there, then you will hear about Padel. Padel is larger than tennis in Spain, only football being more popular!
Check out this video to see Spain’s influence on this globally rising sport:
Pump it up in Portugal
Since 2011, Padel has been governed by the Portuguese Tennis Federation, a FIP World Padel Federation member, and other organizations.
The first padel courts were built in Lisbon in the 1990s, albeit they were used mainly by Spanish guests or immigrants. More padel facilities were added in San Antonio and Quinta Marinha in the late 1990s, which laid the foundation for the growth of Padel today.
Ace your padel in Argentina
More than 1 million active players in Argentina make this racket sport second only to football as the country’s most popular sport.
The sport was the most popular in the 1990s, even surpassing football. That’s insane!
Argentina is home to some of the top players globally, including Bela and Sanyo, and the World Padel Tour is often played and hosted there.
Padel definitely has a stronghold on these top sunny getaways. But don’t let that fool you, padel is also growing on European countries so if you’re backpacking across Europe, might as well bring your padel gears with you!
Padel conquers United Kingdom
Padel has had steady and consistent development in the United Kingdom. When someone asks where Padel is popular, you may not think of the United Kingdom.
However, in certain parts of the nation, Padel is growing in popularity by the day; for example, there are several clubs with hundreds of active members in Essex.
Go check out the 2021 European Padel Championship and wonder in the talents of players from all across Europe:
Padel in Sweden
According to the Swedish padel association, there were 220 services in Sweden in 2019, with 717 padel courts. Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden’s two biggest cities, have the most courts. Skane, in the south of Sweden, also boasts a large number of padel courts.
Padel is becoming more popular in Sweden. In the last several years, the number of courts has more than doubled. With significant funding, well-known sports personalities are assisting in spreading the sport. The future is bright, and you can bet that Padel will continue to grow in the Nordic country.
Padel reaches UAE
With hundreds of new clubs popping up and the sport taking off, Padel in the United Arab Emirates has exploded in popularity.
They even have the most extraordinary indoor courts that double the fun!