Long considered a lesser-known recreational sport, padel now has its sights set on the Olympic stage. Driven by rapid global growth and well-organized institutions, this racquet sport is seeking to win over the International Olympic Committee (IOC). But between lobbying, technical requirements, and internal rivalries, the road to the Games remains fraught with challenges.

Global growth that advocates for inclusion

Padel is now played in more than  110 countries  according to  International Federation of Padel (FIP) Europe and Latin America are its historical pillars, but the sport is now developing strongly in Asia (Qatar, Japan, United Arab Emirates), North Africa and even the United States.

Spain alone has  more than 6 million licensed players  according to the Higher Sports Council (CSD), and France, according to the FFT, has crossed the threshold of  500 practitioners in 000 .

"Padel ticks all the boxes: mixed, accessible, spectacular. It's a sport that clearly has a place at the Olympics," says  Luigi Carraro , president of the FIP, who actively campaigns for this recognition.

A well-established influence strategy

Since 2019, the FIP has been leading an international campaign to include padel in the Olympic program. It relies on strong partnerships, notably with  Premier Padel , a professional circuit supported by  Qatar Sports Investments , owner of PSG, who today manages numerous major events (Rome, Paris, Doha, Milan, etc.).

The World Padel Championships, held every two years, also serve as a showcase. At the 2022 edition in Dubai,  more than 40 countries were represented , a fundamental criterion for the IOC, which requires worldwide practice in at least 75 countries for men and 40 for women.

Brakes still present

Despite its advantages, padel has not been officially a candidate for  Los Angeles 2028  nor for  Brisbane 2032  for now. The IOC favors “young” and “universal” sports, but also requires a  simplified logistics , a  low carbon footprint  and  unified federations .

However, padel still suffers from certain  institutional divisions . Until the end of 2022, two professional circuits coexisted (World Padel Tour et Premier Padel), making unified governance difficult. The merger of the two circuits in 2024, under the aegis of Premier Padel, clarified the situation, but the sport remains under the supervision of the  FIP  (International Federation of Padel), which has yet to obtain  recognition of the IOC as a fully-fledged Olympic federation .

Another issue: the Infrastructure A padel court is smaller than a tennis court, but requires a specific structure (glass, fencing, synthetic flooring). Organizing competitions in temporary arenas is possible, such as at Roland Garros or in the Plaza Mayor in Valladolid, but this remains an additional cost for the organizing committees.

A first appearance in 2032?

The FIP is now aiming for the integration of padel as  demonstration sport at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games Australia, where padel is beginning to develop, could be a favorable terrain. In the meantime, the sport is already appearing in  European Games , to  Pan American Games  or  Asian Games , often decisive steps towards a future Olympic entry.

In 2023,  Padel was included for the first time in the European Games in Krakow , a symbolic step that Luigi Carraro hailed as “a historic step for our sport”.

Padel has undoubtedly reached a milestone in terms of notoriety and professionalization. But to reach the Olympic rings, it will still have to convince on the diplomatic, political, and logistical fronts. What is certain is that the players in the world padel game have never been closer to this goal. It remains to be seen whether the Games are ready to welcome this newcomer to the global scene.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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