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Padel in the UK: how many people play, where the courts are and what it costs

By the Lobwell Padel team. Updated 1 November 2026.

Short answer: Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in Britain. The LTA counted 1.5 million adults and juniors playing in October 2026, up from 15,000 in 2019, on 2,445 courts at 682 venues. Our own count found 916 UK venues including Northern Ireland, with the North West having the most courts per head and court hire costing a median £28 an hour off-peak.

Empty blue padel courts inside a large white tent structure, seen from a raised walkway.
Photo: Samson Ssemakadde, CC0 1.0

Who runs padel in Britain

The LTA, the body that also governs tennis, is the national governing body for padel in Great Britain. It publishes participation figures, runs the official venue finder, organises the British competition structure and rankings, and supports clubs building courts. Internationally, the International Padel Federation (FIP) writes the rules used in the UK, from the 10 by 20 metre court to the underarm serve. Northern Ireland sits outside the GB figures the LTA publishes.

If you want to play competitively, the LTA Padel site lists tournaments and rankings. Most players start with social games, club leagues and americanos.

How fast it has grown

The LTA's figures count people who played at least once in the previous 12 months. On that measure, padel went from about 15,000 players in 2019 to 129,000 in 2023, 400,000 at the end of 2024, 860,000 at the end of 2025, 1 million in May 2026 and 1.5 million in October 2026. The LTA also says two thirds of padel players play tennis too.

Padel players in Britain (LTA)
201915000 players 2023129000 players End 2024400000 players End 2025860000 players May 20261000000 players Oct 20261500000 players
A blue outdoor padel court framed by black steel and glass on a paved corner beside a club building.
Photo: Globetrotter19, CC BY-SA 3.0

Courts and venues

Court building has tried to keep up. The LTA reported 893 courts at 300 venues at the end of 2024, 1,825 courts at 551 venues by May 2026 and 2,445 courts at 682 venues by October 2026. That is close to three times the number of courts in under two years.

Our own count, which combines the LTA finder with Playtomic club pages and OpenStreetMap, found 916 UK venues on 1 November 2026, including 25 in Northern Ireland. Where a court count was available we counted 2,280 courts, and estimate about 3,222 in total by filling gaps with the median of 3 courts per venue.

Padel courts in Great Britain (LTA)
Date Courts Venues
End of 2024 893 300
May 2026 1,825 551
October 2026 2,445 682

Where the courts are

Courts are not spread evenly. Using population estimates, the North West has about 7.1 courts per 100,000 people in our data, the highest of any region, while Scotland has about 2.2. London has many venues but a large population, so it sits near the bottom on courts per head at about 3.7. By nation, England has 820 of the 916 venues we found, Scotland 40, Wales 31 and Northern Ireland 25.

Our padel court finder lists venues by town, with indoor and outdoor details.

Venues and estimated courts by region (Lobwell count, 1 Nov 2026)
Region Venues Estimated courts Courts per 100k
North West 137 553 7.11
Northern Ireland 25 115 5.96
Yorkshire and The Humber 92 312 5.50
North East 33 141 5.10
South East 163 490 5.06
South West 73 283 4.79
East Midlands 68 242 4.76
West Midlands 76 262 4.22
East of England 82 260 3.93
London 96 337 3.69
Wales 31 106 3.34
Scotland 40 121 2.18
A blue padel court with glass walls set on green turf, with palm leaves overhanging the top corner.
Photo: Bbelandria30, CC BY-SA 4.0

Indoor and outdoor

Of the 893 venues where we could tell the court type, 380, or 42.5%, have at least one indoor court. The rest are outdoor, some covered with a canopy. That matters in the UK climate: outdoor courts are cheaper to build and often cheaper to hire, but winter evenings bring cold and rain. Many players use outdoor courts from spring to autumn and move indoors for winter.

What it costs to play

Court hire is the main cost. From 79 venues' published price lists, the UK median is £28 per court per hour off-peak, £40 at peak and £36 at weekends, so about £7 to £10 each for four players. London's peak median is £50. Full regional figures are in padel court cost UK and the venue level data is in our court price index.

Kit is modest by comparison. A first racket costs from about £59, a tube of three balls about £4.50 to £5.50, and court shoes help once you play weekly.

Why padel suits the UK

New to it? Start with what is padel and how to book a padel court.

  • Three padel courts can fit roughly where one tennis court and its surround stand, so clubs can add them quickly.
  • Four players share a booking, keeping costs per person down.
  • The underarm serve and walls mean beginners rally on their first visit.
  • Covered and indoor courts make it playable through the British winter.
  • It is sociable: americanos and open matches make it easy to play without a regular four.

Questions people ask

How many people play padel in the UK?

The LTA put the figure at 1.5 million adults and juniors in Britain in October 2026, counting anyone who played at least once in the previous year.

How many padel courts are there in the UK?

The LTA counted 2,445 courts at 682 venues in Great Britain in October 2026. Our count, including Northern Ireland and venues outside the LTA finder, found 916 venues.

Who governs padel in the UK?

The LTA is the national governing body for padel in Great Britain, using the FIP's international rules.

Are there padel rankings in the UK?

Yes. The LTA runs a padel competition structure with rankings; the LTA Padel website has the current lists and tournament calendar.

Sources

Keep reading

A padel player in a red shirt crouches into a two-handed backhand on a blue indoor court with glass walls behind him.GuideWhat is padel? A plain guide to the sport filling up UK courtsPadel is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed court 10 metres wide and 20 metres long, with glass walls you can play the ball off. An aerial view of two blue outdoor padel courts beside a clubhouse with a roof terrace full of people.GuideHow much does a padel court cost to hire in the UK? Prices by region and timeHiring a padel court in the UK costs a median of £28 per court per hour off-peak, £40 at peak times and £36 at weekends, based on the published price lists of 79 venues we checked on 1 November 2026. Blue outdoor padel courts and an outdoor gym in a seaside park, with apartment blocks and a church spire behind.GuideHow to book a padel court in the UK: apps, timing and what to checkTo book a padel court in the UK, find a venue through the LTA's court finder or a booking app such as Playtomic, then book a 60 or 90 minute slot online and split the fee between four. Two professional padel partners bump fists on a blue indoor court with the scoreboard and crowd behind them.ComparisonPadel vs tennis: the court, racket, ball, rules and cost comparedPadel is played on a walled 20 by 10 metre court, almost always as doubles, with a solid stringless racket, a slightly smaller, lower pressure ball and an underarm serve; the ball can be played off the glass. A female padel player leans back to hit an overhead near the glass wall in a full indoor arena.GuideHow to play padel: the serve, the walls and the first ralliesTo play padel, two pairs face each other on a 10 by 20 metre walled court.