Padel power: SA’s fastest growing sport serving up fun and fitness

If you’ve got the energy, an hour and a half to spare, and a few hundred rands, you might find yourself among the thousands of South Africans taking to the padel court. Dubbed the country’s “fastest growing sport,” padel is a blend of tennis and squash. It’s a bat-and-ball game that’s easy to pick up, social, and provides a solid cardiovascular workout.

Globally, padel is riding a wave of popularity, boasting an estimated 25 million players across 90 countries. Since its arrival in South Africa in 2020, the sport has quickly gained traction. According to BrandMapp, an independent annual survey of over 33,000 adults with a monthly income of R10,000 or more, about 1% of the taxpaying population are currently padel players, placing it alongside horse-riding, surfing, and motorsports.

“With more and more courts being developed in upmarket neighbourhoods, at gyms, and on the rooftops of shopping malls, there’s little doubt that padel is ‘a thing’ for affluent South Africans,” says Brandon De Kock, BrandMapp’s director of Storytelling.

“According to the leading booking platform, there are around 100,000 active padel players right now. This correlates quite closely with our data. We’re seeing the rapid development of leagues and tournaments, and local star players are emerging. Celebrities and brands are eager to associate themselves with padel.

Padel: A game for all or just the elite?

The big question is whether the sport will become another elite pastime in South Africa, like golf or mountain biking, or if padel can grow in a way that is inclusive and accessible, embedding itself within the rich and diverse South African culture over the long term. That will depend on the vision and intentions for the sport in the country, currently shaped by corporate developers and other stakeholders in the game.”

Spain is the leading nation in padel, with over five million players, 14,000 courts, and the World Padel Tour platform. The first courts in Spain were built in 1974 after a Spanish prince visited the Mexican inventor of padel and fell in love with the game. With decades to integrate into Spanish culture, padel has become the second most popular sport after football, optimising relatively low playing costs and broadening accessibility for all.

De Kock notes, “Over the years, the Spanish government has played a major role in padel development, building community courts at the local level and integrating padel into public sports programs to achieve widespread demographic reach. It’s an extraordinary success story. Today, Spain reaps the social, economic, and sports tourism benefits of padel. The sport is an integral aspect of modern Spanish life and culture.”

Padel courts popping up in SA’s high-end areas

In South Africa, padel started to gain traction in middle-class enclaves. The first courts were built for private use at Val De Vie, a wealthy gated community in the Paarl Winelands. Elite country clubs in the Western Cape and Gauteng were also early adopters, converting underutilised bowling greens and tennis courts into padel courts. Although the sport’s reach has extended beyond major cities, it remains an elite activity.

The latest BrandMapp survey indicates that South African padel players are evenly split between genders, with nearly 60% aged between 35 and 65. About 80% of players reside in Gauteng and the Western Cape, with roughly 50% classified as top-enders. These are members of the exclusive group of 3 million South Africans (just 5% of the population) living in households earning over R40,000 a month.

De Kock explains, “It’s not surprising that when we look at the income breakdown of South African padel players, the majority is found in the upper middle class and higher. They have well-organised padel courts and clubs in their neighbourhoods, along with the luxury of time to play three times a week.

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The sport that won’t break the bank

Padel currently falls into the category of sports that have a significantly higher footprint as you climb the income ladder. While it still has a way to go to rival golf as a millionaire’s pastime, for top income earners, padel is almost as popular as mountain biking.”

In contrast to those elite activities, where participation costs are prohibitive for most, padel expenses are relatively modest. The game is usually played by four people, and the cost of an hour’s play ranges from R400 to R600, which translates to R100 to R125 per person when shared.

Padel racquets can range from R1,000 to R10,000, but most facilities offer rentals for around R50 per game. The Playtomic App provides discounts on bookings through the platform, and padel clubs like Virgin Active and Discovery Vitality frequently offer similar incentives. When you do the math, it could be argued that playing a game of padel in South Africa costs about the same as a movie ticket.

Why is it stuck in the country club bubble?

So, if padel’s playing costs aren’t exclusive to South Africa’s top earners, why is it struggling to break out of the country club niche and into the mainstream? De Kock states, “Well, simple geography certainly plays a role here. As a profit-driven investment, the developers of padel courts are clearly targeting high-income areas. We can only wait and see if that changes, and whether visionary padel entrepreneurs emerge who recognise the sport’s full potential and begin developing facilities for middle- and lower-income communities. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from Spain!”

In countries like Spain, along with padel-developing nations such as Italy, Sweden, Britain and Argentina, there is government recognition of padel as a culturally significant sport that promotes health, active lifestyles, social engagement, and cohesion. Local governments provide support and even investment in padel infrastructure, making the sport accessible in low-income communities.

Padel’s secret sauce: Fun, fitness, and frenzy

What is it about the sport that drives its rapid rise in popularity? “Padel may appear a bit simple to anyone raised on traditional racquet sports,” De Kock explains. “However, it has several key attributes that underpin its almost ‘viral’ appeal. It’s fun, it’s sociable, and if you’re committed to healthy and active lifestyles, you’re likely to be drawn to padel.

“But above all, unlike tennis and squash, where players need to be of a similar skill level for a good game, this sport is much more enjoyable across varying skill levels. It’s also easier to learn than golf. The game is highly inclusive. You can have a great game with your kids, older players, and any gender mix. However, if you want to ramp up the competitiveness, you certainly can.

“The bottom line is, South Africa could be an ideal padel-playing nation, given our love for sports and fantastic year-round weather. Yet, many have come before and failed to break into the mainstream. It remains to be seen whether padel will peak as an elite trend or become ingrained in broader South African culture.”’

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