1,5 billion euros: in the tennis economy, what is the real weight of padel? Padel Magazine

Padel confirms its change of scale in France in 2025. According to the latest official study published by the French Tennis Federation and the Center for Droit and Economics of Sport (CDES) This discipline now lies at the heart of the socio-economic weight of tennis and its related activities. Played at least once a year by 40% of adult registered players, and supported by a continuous growth in the number of courts and tournaments, padel is establishing itself as a major economic driver for clubs, local communities, and the entire French sports sector. This statistical analysis allows us to precisely measure its real impact, far beyond a mere fad.

A sector with 1,5 billion euros, drawn from associated disciplines

According to this study published in November 2025, the socio-economic weight of tennis and its associated disciplines reaches 1,5 billion euros per year in France.
This figure combines four pillars:

Licenses: €575 million (38,2%)
Clubs: €468M (31,1%)
Tournaments: €240 million (15,9%)
Federal headquarters and entities: €223 million (14,8%)

Within this overall dynamic, Padel is emerging as one of the main drivers of economic diversification, particularly within clubs.

1,5 billion euros: the true place of padel in the tennis economy

Padel, a massive sport among FFT members

The study reveals a key figure: 40% of adult FFT members played padel at least once during the year.
A strong indicator, which confirms that padel is no longer a simple complementary activity, but rather a practice established in everyday life.

Another key factor:

65% of padel players report playing for leisure.which largely explains its economic attractiveness (land rental, events, amateur tournaments).

A still limited offering… but one that is rapidly developing.

Despite this enthusiasm among players, the availability of padel within FFT clubs remains limited:

11% of clubs currently offer padel
29% plan to offer them soon.

The study highlights a clear economic reality: the initial investment required (land, construction, roofing) remains a hindrance, especially for smaller clubs.
Conversely, clubs with more than 500 licensees are the ones who most easily integrate padel into their offering.

A direct financial impact for clubs and players

The economic contribution of padel can also be measured at the household level:

€232 average annual expenditure declared per household for padel
To compare to the €402 average annual expenditure for overall tennis practice

On the club side, the Hourly rental of tennis and padel courts generates €38 million per yearconfirming the key role of padel in new economic models.

Employer clubs, volunteers and jobs: a solid ecosystem

The study emphasizes the structural strength of the sector:

73% of clubs are employers
7,255 FTE employees in clubs
3,645 self-employed workers
77,000 active volunteersrepresenting 28 million hours per yeari.e 15,500 FTEs (Full Time Equivalent)
The economic value of volunteering is estimated at €483 million per year

The development of padel fits fully into this ecosystem, strengthening club activity, local employment and community involvement.

2,918 padel courts and over 30,000 tournaments

From a structural point of view, the practice is already well established:

2,918 approved padel courts
30,655 padel tournaments organized (vs 47,943 tennis tournaments)
1,23 million FFT licensees
1,5 million practitioners in total

Figures that confirm the padel's changing scale, now an essential discipline in the French sporting landscape.

Padel, a strategic issue for the years to come

Without overvaluing it, the study clearly positions padel as a strategic development focus For the FFT: attracting new audiences, diversifying club revenues, revitalizing territories and a natural complement to playing tennis.

In the medium term, the rise of padel could still strengthen the overall economic weight of the sectorprovided that the support for clubs follows in terms of investment, land and structuring of practices.

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.