Spain is the number 1 country in the world in terms of the number of practitioners of padel. The practice of the little yellow ball is now part of Spanish culture. Recently the FEP published a report concerning the number of licensees in the country in 2023. You will see that they are numerous, but not that much in comparison with the number of players.

A social phenomenon rooted in Spanish culture

"In the past, children started with tennis, but for years they have started with padel“, says José Luis Gutierrez, youth coach at the Spanish Federation of Padel (FEP), in an article by Palco23. At the beginning of 2019, the FEP announced that the padel had overtaken tennis in number of licensees. A situation that may seem surprising given the level of Spanish tennis with champions such as Nadal, Ferrer, Alcaraz or Muguruza.

As you know, the padel is an accessible sport that does not depend on age or gender. These last years, le padel has even become a tool for cohesion and the strengthening of professional relations thanks to initiatives such as the Business Padel Tour, creating a team spirit within companies.

team spain world victory padel qatar 2020

In addition, the padel shares many similarities with the Spanish way of life, emphasizing friendliness and tranquillity, which are key elements of the culture on the other side of the Pyrenees.

As already explained Romain TaupinFounder Padelonomics, in an interview "95% of people who take courses in padel don't dream of a high level at all: they just want to have fun after a day's work. They seek to forget their everyday life, to meet new people and to do it with enthusiasm. The search for immediate pleasure is essential.“According to him, very few players aspire to be champions of this sport.

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As we noted it in an article at the beginning of the week, according to the figures of the study of Deloitte and Playtomic, 43% of gamers padel Spaniards have been practicing this activity for more than 5 years.

And if you have had the opportunity to visit Spain in recent years, you have been able to see that the grounds of padel abound. The little yellow ball has become an integral part of Spanish culture.

Spain: 43% of players play padel for more than 5 years!

Today, there are nearly 4 practitioners and about 000 members. Recently, the FEP published statistics relating to the discipline, and it is observed that the number of licensees has stagnated for two years.

Competitors therefore represent less than 2,5% of players in Spain. In France, there are just over 45 members, and the number of practitioners is estimated at around 000, or more than 400% of competitors! We therefore note that the practice in Spain is very different from that in France, more focused on leisure and less competition.

The number of licensees is stabilizing

In 2021 the number of licensees in Spain reached 96 licensees. It was then expected that Spain would exceed 100 licensees in the coming years. It's quite surprising but, according to the latest FEP report, the number of licensees has stabilized and even decreased a little in 2023: 95.

Licensees spain 2023

Men, women and children are involved in the practice of this sport. Although the dominance male persist (65,5%), female representation remains significant (34,5%) compared to other sporting disciplines in the country.

According to the study carried out by the FEP, it would seem that it is the veterans who mainly occupy the grounds of padel Spanish. Indeed, half of the 95 licensees are over 099 years old.. This reality is hardly surprising, given that the padel, although requiring a certain physical form, remains accessible to all and remains less traumatic than team and contact sports. It allows former followers of other disciplines to pursue their passion for competition by participating in tournaments.

Licensed ages spain

Players aged 24 to 39 years old rank second, accounting for 31,5% of licensees, while those under the age of 24 years counts for 19%. The ambition of the FEP in the years to come is to develop strategies aimed at encouraging more young people to take part in tournaments. padel. An important issue to guarantee the sustainability and vitality of this sport in Spain.

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval football, round ball but also racket sports, he was stung by the padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a fan of the little yellow ball.

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