For the past few years, padel has been steadily gaining ground in the world of sports and leisure. By 2026, a trend is becoming increasingly clear:  Padel clubs often generate more revenue than tennis clubs With an efficient economic model, an accessible practice and growing popularity, padel is establishing itself as one of the most attractive sports investments at the moment.

Four players on one field: an effective economic model

The first major difference between padel and tennis lies in the way the sport is played.  Padel is played exclusively in doubles. , which means four players on each field.

This simple detail makes a big difference for clubs. Each booking automatically involves four players, which multiplies registrations, group lessons, and activities organized around the courts. This dynamic also encourages spending at the clubhouse: drinks, food, or events for players.

More players in each slot simply means  more activity and more revenue  for the club.

Exceptional profitability per square meter

The other major advantage of padel lies in the optimization of space.  A padel court occupies approximately three times less surface area than a tennis court. 

In practical terms, this means that a club can generally install several tennis courts in the space of a single tennis court.  three padel courts For a sports infrastructure manager, the equation is simple: more pitches on the same surface area significantly increases the number of possible bookings.

With three pitches instead of just one, a club can therefore generate  up to three times more game slots and potentially three times more revenue.

1 tennis court = 2/3 padel courts

A sport experiencing a global boom

The economic success of padel is also explained by its growing popularity. Today, it is often presented as  the fastest growing sport in the world .

One of the keys to its success lies in its accessibility. Unlike other racket sports, it's possible to have fun very quickly, even without extensive technical experience. This ease of learning attracts a very wide audience: beginners, families, groups of friends, and former tennis players.

Another revealing piece of information:  The player retention rate reaches approximately 92% In other words, once a player starts playing padel, there is a good chance they will continue to practice regularly.

For the clubs, this loyalty creates a true community of players who return week after week.

2025: A global overview of padel

More affordable installation costs

The initial investment also plays a significant role in the profitability of padel. Building a padel court generally remains  less expensive than building a traditional tennis court , particularly due to the necessary infrastructure and maintenance.

This lower installation cost, combined with high traffic, often makes it possible to obtain a  faster return on investment .

This is also one of the reasons why many tennis clubs have started to integrate padel courts into their facilities, or even to transform part of their infrastructure.

Tennis court/padel court prices

By bringing together more players per court, exceptional profitability per square meter and constantly increasing popularity, padel has found a particularly effective economic formula.

For sports clubs, the equation is becoming increasingly clear: where some tennis courts sometimes remain unoccupied,  Padel courts are often full This dynamic explains why more and more sports infrastructures are now investing in this rapidly expanding sport.

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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