Padel court numbers surge in England as tennis facilities see first recorded decline

The short version

• Sport England data shows England lost 183 tennis courts since 2023, marking the first decline in tennis court numbers since at least 2000.[The Guardian]
• Padel facilities grew nearly sixfold over the same timeframe to exceed 2,200 courts, with venues adding padel closing a net 77 tennis courts.[The Guardian]
• The Lawn Tennis Association estimates 1 million people were playing padel by May 2026, up from 860,000 at the end of 2025.[The Guardian]
• The Lawn Tennis Association stated that most displaced tennis courts were previously underutilised or in poor condition.[The Guardian]

Key facts

• England lost 183 tennis courts since 2023, the first recorded decline since at least 2000.[The Guardian]
• The number of padel courts in England grew from 382 in 2023 to more than 2,200.[The Guardian]
• Venues opening padel facilities accounted for a net loss of 77 tennis courts since 2023.[The Guardian]
• Lawn Tennis Association research estimated 1 million padel players as of May 2026, up from 860,000 at the end of 2025.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• England losing tennis courts as number of padel facilities rises exponentiallyThe Guardian - World