Padel is growing in Italy: +20 percent in the number of courts, Sardinia leads the way with a 23 percent increase in clubs.

The growth of padel in Italy, the second country in Europe in terms of the number of courts and participants, shows an increase in facilities in the first nine months of 2023 (sports clubs, padel clubs, accommodation facilities) by 16%, compared to the 2022 figures: from 2,792 to 3,250 facilities. The trend, according to data from the “Padel Observatory – Mr Padel Paddle,” which was recently awarded at the Italian Padel Awards for its work, indicates a 20% increase in playing courts, with 8,520 courts (+1,392) compared to 7,128 at the end of last year. The regions with the highest number of courts and facilities are still Lazio (1,855 courts and 559 facilities), followed by Lombardy (1,149 courts; 373) and Sicily (802 courts; 309).

However, in Sardinia, the growth rate in terms of padel facilities and courts is above the national average, a clear sign of the sport’s popularity on the “Island of Sports.” This is also thanks to major sporting events like the FIP PLATINUM Sardegna, which not only offers the spectacle of the world’s best players but also triggers a “propagation” effect that increases the number of participants and, consequently, facilities. In the island, which has strongly embraced padel since 2020 in line with the FIP, there are 336 courts (including 55 indoor) spread across 144 facilities. The increase in padel clubs in Sardinia is 23% higher than the national average compared to 2022. The leading province in the region is Sassari (65 clubs and 154 courts), followed by Cagliari (47 clubs and 125 courts). Nuoro has 17 courts in 10 clubs, Oristano has 12 courts in 7 facilities, and the southern part of Sardinia has 28 courts in 15 clubs.

As new facilities are installed, the ratio of the population to each court decreases. In the first 9 months, Italy has gone from one court per 8,468 inhabitants to 7,084. In Lazio, the ratio is 3,169 (getting closer to the Spanish benchmark, which is around 3,000), Umbria is at 3,432, Abruzzo at 4,476, and Sardinia is fourth with 4,480. This result further emphasizes how the “Island of Sports” is becoming increasingly the “Island of Padel.”