Le  French padel  crosses a new threshold. For the first time, the bar of  150,000 licensed athletes participating in competitions  is outdated. Over the last twelve months,  151 players  have argued  at least one official tournament , an unprecedented figure which confirms the progressive structuring of the discipline.

 A dynamic driven by competition 

According to  FFT , the total number of practitioners exceeds  800 players  in France. But beyond recreational practice, it is indeed the enthusiasm for competition  which stands out.

In detail, on the  151 competitors  listed:

  •  132 players 
  •  19,626 female players 

A distribution that further illustrates a  Significant imbalance between men and women , despite the efforts undertaken to develop women's padel.

Padel In France: the 150,000 competitor mark has been crossed

 Women's padel is progressing, but still lags behind. 

In three months, the number of  competitors  is passed from  18 to 553 i.e  over 1,000 new players A real improvement, even if the gap remains significant compared to men, who over the same period went from  126,547 to 132,208 players .

The bar of  20,000 competitors  now seems close, proof that the momentum has begun, even if the development of the  women's padel  remains a major challenge for the  FFT  and the players in the sector.

 Clubs mobilized all over France 

On the ground, many clubs are actively participating in this growth.

Like the  Padel Couëronnais Club , With a  P1000  scheduled for this weekend, or even from  Vernon club , which will offer a  P1000 with €1,800 prize money from July 3rd to 5th , including the presence of the referee  Laurent Fabresse .

On the side of  Padel Arena in Rouen  And in many organizations, initiatives are multiplying to structure the competitive offering and encourage women's participation. Despite this, progress remains gradual, a sign that the work is still ongoing.

 Le FFT Padel Tourshowcase of top French talent 

The good health of the competition is also reflected through the  FFT Padel Tour , which became a  elite structuring circuit .

The recent  Top P2000 Padel Toulouse  This is a concrete example:

  •  high level of play 
  •  solid organization 
  •  increased visibility of French padel 

Even if all the best players aren't always present, the circuit allows for a spotlight on  new generation of talent , in full emergence.

 Solid and sustainable growth 

Without going to extremes, the crossing of  150 competitors  constitutes a  an important step for padel in France .

Progress is constant, driven by an ever-increasing range of tournaments, committed clubs and a strengthening federal structure.

The momentum is there, and nothing indicates, in the short term, a slowdown in this dynamic.

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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