Data relating to the tournament participation and interest in official competition paint a nuanced picture of French padel. While competitive practice is not yet the majority, it nevertheless generates real and widespread interest, including among those historically far removed from competition.

A competitive practice that is already well established… in several forms

First lesson: 45% of players have already participated in a competition, whether official or unofficialHowever, this overall figure masks very different realities depending on the game setting.

In details :

  • 29% players participated in one or more FFT-sanctioned tournaments
  • 30% took part in unofficial or recreational tournaments

Participation in sanctioned tournaments remains strongly correlated with the player's status:

  • 76% of padel license holders have already played in official competition
  • 64% of multi-racket sports license holders
  • Conversely, only 2% of non-licensed individuals participated in an officially sanctioned tournament

Conversely, recreational tournaments appear to be a much more accessible format:

  • 21% of non-licensed individuals have already participated
  • 52% of padel license holders
  • 35% of multi-racket sports license holders

This distribution confirms the central role of unofficial competitions as gateway to the competitive world, particularly for unaffiliated or poorly structured players.

A majority of interest in the upcoming competition

Among the players having never participated in an officially sanctioned tournamentInterest in the official competition remains high. 62% say they are interested in doing so in the future, despite a slight decline in 3 points compared to 2023.

This figure refutes the idea that padel is fundamentally averse to competition. Even among non-competitors, there is an attraction to a structured environment, provided the formats are appropriate.

Conversely, 37% say they are not interestedconfirming that a part of the community remains permanently attached to a purely recreational practice.

Very contrasting profiles in the face of competition

Profile analysis allows us to refine this observation.

The audiences most attracted to the competition are:

  • many intensive players (82%),
  • many padel licensees (80%),
  • many regular players (68%),
  • many 18–24 years (68%),
  • many 25–34 years et 35–44 years (67%).

Conversely, the interest is more limited in:

  • many casual gamers (43%),
  • many women (44%),
  • many 55 years and older (50%),
  • many unlicensed (60%, still at the average level).

These differences show that competition is still perceived as a logical continuation for those already involved, but that it still needs adaptations to appeal to audiences further removed from traditional competitive codes.

Competition: a horizon rather than a starting point

A cross-cutting lesson emerges: Competition in padel is not an initial driving force, but often a outcomePlayers start with recreational play, sometimes participate in friendly tournaments, and then gradually consider official formats.

This process explains the strong complementarity between:

  • recreational tournaments,
  • regular practice
  • license,
  • and competitive engagement.

The sanctioned competition is therefore not rejected, but approached with caution, particularly by the newest or least intensive audiences.

Data from the Observatory Padel 2025 shows that Competition is an integral part of the padel ecosystem., but in various and progressive ways. While less than one in three players has already taken the step of playing in sanctioned tournaments, Nearly two-thirds see it as a medium-term prospect.

The challenge for clubs and governing bodies is therefore not to convince people of the competition's value, but to facilitate the transitionby offering readable, accessible formats that are compatible with the playful and friendly DNA of padel.

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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