LONDON — The number of padel courts in the U.K. is projected to double to more than 4,000 in the next couple of years, according to Tom Murray, head of padel at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). The U.K. currently has more than one million players.

On June 5, 2026, a doubles match took place on one of five new padel courts at the Surbiton Racket and Fitness Club in southwest London. Roy Staniland, director of the club, said, "In 2021, we took out a hard tennis court and put two padel courts in, and within a year, the courts were jam-packed." He added, "So in 2025, we put three more new padel courts in."

Murray spoke from the World Padel Summit in Barcelona, Spain. "The sport is still in its infancy in the U.K.," he said. Murray also stated, "On average, a court costs £28 [$37] for four people, so compared to other activities like the driving range or the cinema, it's still competitive." Padel facilities are replacing tennis courts in some parts of the U.K.

Tennis coach Steve Jarrett noted differences between the sports. "One of the biggest differences between tennis and padel is that because you are closer to your opponent, there is a lot more banter," Jarrett said. "You don't really get that on a tennis court." He added, "It's more multigenerational than tennis." Jarrett said, "It's easier to pick up; you can be fairly novice and still rally quite well, whereas in tennis you can't." Jarrett expanded his business to include padel after the pandemic.

Padel originated in Mexico in the 1970s. The sport grew in popularity in Spain in the decades following, where it is now the second-most-popular sport after soccer. There are an estimated 20,000 courts and 6 million players in Spain.

Why It Matters

The LTA projects the number of padel courts in the U.K. will exceed 4,000 in the coming years. This growth coincides with existing tennis facilities being converted to accommodate padel courts and an increase in player numbers.