Padel at the Olympics: Where Does It Stand?

Padel is not currently an Olympic sport, but it is one of the most prominent candidates for inclusion in future Games. The International Padel Federation (FIP) has been working toward Olympic recognition for several years, and the IOC granted provisional recognition to padel in 2020.

For a sport to be included in the Olympic programme, it must demonstrate global reach, strong governance, gender equity, and meaningful viewership. Padel ticks many of these boxes: it's played in 90+ countries, has a rapidly growing professional tour (Premier Padel), strong media presence, and a balanced men's and women's circuit.

The Brisbane 2032 Olympics have been cited as a realistic target for padel's debut. Several other sports are in a similar queue for inclusion, and the IOC process is competitive. A key step is the formal recognition of the FIP/Premier Padel governance structure as the single unified authority for professional padel, which was consolidated with the merger of the FIP and Nojorami (World Padel Tour parent) in 2023.

Padel was included as a demonstration sport at the Paris 2024 Olympics adjacent events, providing significant global exposure for the sport during the Games period.

Even without Olympic status, padel's growth trajectory is remarkable. Olympic inclusion would be a major accelerant for participation and investment — but the sport is already one of the fastest-growing in the world regardless of Olympic recognition.