It was destined to become one of the most ambitious projects in Portuguese padel. The “City of PadelThe project, spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates, will ultimately not be built in Oeiras. After several months of discussions, technical studies, and political feedback, the investors have officially withdrawn their application to the municipality. The information has been confirmed by several national media outlets, including All time lap record, Observer, SIC News et Correio da Manhã.

A structuring project for the Jamor area

The initial plan envisioned the creation of a large-scale padel center near the Jamor National Sports Center. Cristiano Ronaldo, associated with the Lusofinança group and initially supported by the Portuguese Federation of PadelThe aim was to develop a modern space encompassing seventeen tracks, a mini-stadium with approximately 2,000 seats, a gymnasium, and several ancillary areas, including a restaurant and event spaces. The total investment was estimated at nearly five million euros.

Conceived as a sports and commercial hub, the project was also intended to contribute to the development of padel in the Lisbon region, which has been growing rapidly in recent years.

Cristiano Ronaldo invests several million euros in padel in Portugal

Decisive geotechnical studies

One of the key factors influencing the final decision concerned the chosen site. According to geotechnical studies, the plot required complex stabilization work and deeper foundations than initially anticipated. These findings represented a significant additional cost for the investors.

The municipality, which had offered the land but made no financial commitment, confirmed that no additional public funding would be provided to cover these cost overruns. This point is emphasized by several Portuguese sources, all of whom agree on this.

The “City of Padel” with Cristiano Ronaldo signed and launched!

A local opposition that has strengthened

Alongside technical and financial issues, the project faced significant opposition from residents and local political groups. The plot of land in question had initially been considered for a daycare center or a public social facility. Criticism also focused on noise pollution, the anticipated increase in traffic, and the proximity to the Jamor forest area.

A petition entitled “Cidade do Padel“No!” circulated throughout the district, increasing the pressure surrounding the issue. These tensions fueled the debate within the Oeiras municipal council and exacerbated the project's fragility.

A withdrawal deemed "inevitable"

Faced with all these factors—higher costs, lack of financial support from the municipality, technical constraints, and an unfavorable political climate—investors concluded that the project had lost its economic viability. The decision to abandon the initiative was communicated to local authorities, bringing to a close several months of negotiations.

The cancellation of “City of PadelThis does not, however, signal Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement from padel. The Portuguese international already owns a club in the capital, regularly participates in events related to the professional circuit, and has collaborated in recent months with Arturo Coello, the world number one. Ronaldo remains one of the most active sports figures in promoting padel in Portugal.

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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