EY and KNLTB publish research report 'Padel in figures 2024'

The popularity of padel in the Netherlands has grown substantially again in 2024. This is according to the research report "Padel in figures 2024," prepared by EY in cooperation with the KNLTB. The sport now has between 480,000 and 550,000 unique players, of which some 350,000 are active each month. This confirms padel's status as one of the fastest growing sports in the country.

Padel for everyone: young, old and increasingly women

A notable trend is the increase in the number of female players. Women now make up nearly 36% of all registered padellers (110,942 people). Especially the age groups 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 are growing rapidly. The latter category has even increased by 19% compared to last year and constitutes the largest group with over 82,000 players.

Number of jobs and locations growing rapidly

Infrastructure is also growing along with demand. By the end of 2024, the Netherlands will have 2,828 padel courts spread across 627 locations. In the past year, as many as 490 new courts were added, a growth of over 20%. Especially in North Brabant, North Holland and Limburg, the number of playing locations has increased significantly.

From recreational to competitive

Padel is not only played recreationally: more and more players are participating in official competitions. In 2024, 73,858 players participated in leagues or tournaments, an increase of 25% from the previous year. This development underscores the fact that padel is rapidly developing into a sporting discipline in its own right.

What does this mean for Decathlon Premier Padel Rotterdam?

The figures show that padel is becoming firmly rooted in the Netherlands. The growing number of players, the wider spread in age and gender as well as the rise of competitive padel make the audience increasingly large and diverse. Decathlon Premier Padel Rotterdam seamlessly connects to this development: the tournament brings the international top players to the Netherlands and inspires the fast growing Dutch padel community.

Source:
Padel in figures 2024 - Research report by EY in collaboration with the KNLTB
Download the full report (PDF)