A Tale of Two Sports in a Rapidly Changing World
As the racket sport renaissance gathers momentum, two names keep cropping up in conversations from Buenos Aires to Birmingham: padel and pickleball. They may be grouped together in headlines and hashtags, but beneath the surface, these two games are not the same sport—nor are they growing at the same speed, appealing to the same demographics, or built for the same future.
In a global market increasingly hungry for social, accessible and low-impact sports, padel and pickleball have emerged as front-runners. But while casual observers might lump them together, investors, schools, sports bodies, and players are learning that the differences between them are not only structural—but strategic.
This article examines the rise of both padel and pickleball in 2025, draws a clear line between their rules, design and audiences, and makes the case for why padel is gaining stronger footholds in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.
A Shared Surge, But Not a Shared Identity
It is not difficult to understand the confusion. Both sports are often played in doubles. Both offer quick matches, limited learning curves, and require less running than traditional tennis. Both are attracting ageing tennis players, newcomers, and fitness-seekers alike. Yet to conflate the two is to miss the nuance that explains why different countries are embracing one more than the other.
Pickleball, invented in Washington State in 1965, has grown explosively in the United States, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the number of players in the US reached 13.6 million in early 2025, up from 4.8 million in 2021. The game, played with plastic paddles and a perforated wiffle ball on a court similar in size to badminton, has become a recreational staple for retirement communities, country clubs, and increasingly, urban parks.
Padel, by contrast, is a European-born hybrid, emerging in Mexico in 1969 and adopted enthusiastically by Spain, where it has long been the second-most played sport after football. It uses solid foam-core rackets, a depressurised tennis-style ball, and is played on a fully enclosed court roughly a third smaller than a tennis court. It is a game of walls, angles, spin, and fast reflexes.
As of 2025, the UK’s Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) reports that padel participation now exceeds 400,000 players, with courts doubling in number over the last 18 months to reach over 950 nationwide. Europe-wide, estimates from the International Padel Federation (FIP) place the number of padel players at 25 million, compared to pickleball’s global estimate of around 15 million.
So while both are ascendant, their growth is not equal in pace, geography, or professionalisation.
The Rules Are Different—And So Is the Experience
On court, the contrast is immediate. Pickleball, with its slow-moving plastic ball and no-wall layout, rewards placement and patience. There is little spin, and the serve must be underarm. Padel, by contrast, is a kinetic, wall-rebounding dance that rewards creativity, spin, and teamwork. It feels closer to squash or racquetball in intensity, but is still gentler on the joints than traditional tennis.
Pickleball courts are not enclosed, making them cheaper to install. But padel courts, while more expensive, create an immersive experience, enabling longer rallies and a sense of tactical play that players describe as deeply addictive. The wall element, absent from pickleball, adds a layer of strategy unique to padel.
In short, pickleball is more passive, ideal for low-impact recreation, whereas padel is more active, combining speed, reflexes, and court awareness. For younger players, padel has begun to emerge as the sport of choice in urban environments where space is scarce but energy is high.
Cultural Context: A European vs. American Story
There is also a cultural story underpinning the divergence. Pickleball’s meteoric rise has been predominantly North American, with 85% of courts located in the US. It is deeply tied to the American sporting psyche: fun-first, casual, and heavily marketed. Investment from celebrities like LeBron James and Tom Brady has bolstered its visibility. US Pickleball, the governing body, has laid out plans for an Olympic push—although recognition remains limited outside North America.
Padel, meanwhile, is being driven not by flash or celebrity, but by infrastructure, federation policy, and global demand. Spain has more than 15,000 padel courts, and it is already part of school curriculums across parts of Europe and Latin America. In 2023, padel made its debut at the European Games in Kraków, a significant milestone in its bid for Olympic inclusion. That campaign is now being backed by over 60 national federations, including in the UK, Sweden, Italy, and Argentina.
In the Middle East, padel has surged. The UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are investing heavily in indoor padel clubs, aligning it with their vision for lifestyle-led sports infrastructure. Pickleball, by contrast, has made almost no visible inroads in these markets.
Demographic Divide: Who’s Playing What?
The difference in growth also comes down to who is playing each sport.
Pickleball has found a strong foothold among older demographics. Surveys from Pickleheads and SFIA suggest that the average player age remains over 40, despite efforts to court younger groups. While leagues and tournaments are emerging, the sport retains a distinctly recreational identity. Attempts to launch a pickleball pro tour have met with modest commercial success but limited international recognition.
Padel, meanwhile, is skewing younger. In the UK, around 50% of new padel participants are under 35, according to the LTA. In Spain and Argentina, elite juniors are already training in academies, with rankings and performance pathways in place. In the UK, plans are now underway for a formal national youth league and GCSE PE accreditation.
Unlike pickleball, padel is increasingly seen as a legitimate athletic sport, not just a pastime. And this perception matters to investors, sports councils, schools, and clubs.
Infrastructure and Investment Models
The build economics of the two sports differ, though both are relatively affordable compared to traditional tennis or squash.
Pickleball courts can be laid over existing hard surfaces, often temporarily or without planning permission. As such, costs are lower and installation is quicker. For parks departments and housing associations in the US, this is a clear advantage.
Padel courts require more substantial installation. They are enclosed with tempered glass walls, artificial turf, and lighting. Yet the investment case is compelling. Operators such as Padium, Rocket Padel, and Game4Padel in the UK report strong returns on investment, particularly in urban sites. One London operator claims average court usage exceeds 80% capacity during peak hours, with session-based pricing models between £20–£35 per hour.
What’s more, padel’s enclosure allows for monetisation beyond simple bookings—including branded tournaments, coaching academies, club memberships, and merchandising. Several clubs now report waiting lists for peak-time court slots.
In short, pickleball is easier to install, but harder to monetise, while padel demands more capex, but offers stronger long-term ROI in the right markets.
Professional Pathways and Olympic Potential
In professional terms, padel has a commanding lead. The Premier Padel Tour, backed by Qatar Sports Investments, launched in 2022 and now includes stops across Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Prize pools have grown rapidly, and media deals are expanding.
In contrast, professional pickleball remains largely a domestic affair. The Major League Pickleball (MLP) and Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) are working to raise the sport’s profile, but lack recognition from most international sporting bodies.
The International Padel Federation, by contrast, is pursuing Olympic recognition for 2032, supported by the European Olympic Committees. That ambition, if realised, could elevate padel to a tier-one status in global sport, akin to table tennis or badminton.
Schools, Cities, and Public Health
One of the most promising battlegrounds for both sports is education.
In the UK, padel is entering schools at pace. Through partnerships between the LTA and the Youth Sport Trust, over 600 PE teachers have been trained in padel delivery. Padel is being trialled as part of GCSE and BTEC sport qualifications. Its low-impact nature, mixed-gender suitability, and social dynamic make it highly suited to the modern PE curriculum.
Pickleball, while offered in some American schools, has not made the same inroads in Europe. In the UK, it remains almost entirely absent from school sport strategy. As such, padel is currently the only one of the two with national education integration, positioning it better for sustainable long-term adoption.
Public health agencies are also taking notice. Padel’s cardio output is comparable to tennis, while its injury risk is lower. A 2025 study published in The Lancet Sport reported improved cardiovascular fitness and mental wellbeing among adults playing padel twice a week over a 12-week trial. Similar data for pickleball remains limited and regionally restricted.
What the Future Holds
The comparison between padel and pickleball will no doubt persist, fuelled by headlines, celebrity endorsements and viral content. But for those charting the future of sport—whether governments, clubs, investors, or schools—the choice is increasingly a strategic one.
In North America, pickleball has won the day for now. Its speed to install and wide demographic base have made it a natural fit for American recreational landscapes. Yet its lack of federation integration, pro tour depth, and global reach leave questions about its staying power.
In Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America, padel is surging ahead. From rooftop courts in Madrid to indoor venues in Riyadh, it is becoming not just a sport but a cultural force. Its trajectory is supported by federation structure, competitive viability, and infrastructure funding.
In the UK, padel is fast becoming more than a niche. It is entering schools, appearing in public health policy discussions, and drawing sustained capital from both private and public sectors.
The two sports may share a sense of fun, simplicity and accessibility. But make no mistake: padel tennis and pickleball are not the same sport—and only one is shaping up to be the sport of the next generation.
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