Padel History: From Mexico to a Global Sport

Padel was invented in 1969 by Mexican businessman Enrique Corcuera at his home in Acapulco. Corcuera had a limited space in his garden and adapted a squash court with glass walls and wire mesh fencing. He added a net, used depressurised tennis balls, and created a game that was immediately accessible and social. He called it 'padel' — derived from the paddle racket used in the game.

The sport came to Spain in 1974 when Alfonso de Hohenlohe, a Spanish prince, visited Corcuera's home and became captivated by the game. He built the first padel courts in Spain at the Marbella Club. The sport spread quickly through the Spanish upper class initially, then gradually through all social strata. The Federación Española de Pádel (FEP) was founded in 1993.

Argentina was the second great heartland. Spanish emigrants and Argentinians who had travelled to Spain brought the sport home, and by the 1980s and 1990s padel had become deeply embedded in Argentine culture. Today Argentina has one of the highest per-capita rates of padel players in the world.

The 2010s saw the sport begin its global expansion, driven by the World Padel Tour (founded 2013), media coverage, and the migration of Spanish and Argentine players and coaches to new markets. The UAE, Italy, Sweden, France, the UK, and the United States all saw rapid court construction and player growth during this period.

By 2024, the FIP estimated over 25 million padel players worldwide across 90+ countries, with the sport growing faster than any other racket sport globally. The Premier Padel tour, launched in 2022, brought significant investment and media presence, further accelerating growth.