Nearly 900,000 Padel Players in the Netherlands, but Court Shortages Hinder Further Growth

Padel continues to take the Dutch sports world by storm. In 2025, no less than 876,000 Dutch people hit the padel courts. Although the number of courts has expanded significantly, the player base is growing even faster. The result? Padel is reaching a tipping point where the need for more playing space, coaches, and professionalization is more urgent than ever. This and more is revealed in the second edition of the Padel in Figures (Padel in Cijfers) report, presented by the KNLTB and partner EY.

The popularity of padel is no mere hype; it’s here to stay. Of the current players, a whopping 98% expect to still be active on the court three years from now. But where will all these people play? The supply can barely keep up with the current demand.

Pressure on the Courts: Commercial vs. Clubs

Even though the number of playing locations increased by 15% last year and the number of courts grew by 25%, things are getting crowded. Both commercial centers and tennis/padel clubs are frequently fully booked, and waiting lists are no longer the exception.

A few striking facts from the report:

  • Capacity: Commercial providers average 5.7 courts per location, whereas clubs average 4.5 courts.

  • Regional crowding: The province of North Holland saw the biggest increase in new courts (+114), but ironically still has the highest number of monthly players per court.

  • The Flex Player: An estimated 50 to 60 percent of padel players play infrequently (five times or less) and book courts on a flexible basis. This is a massive group with the potential to play more often, which will further increase the pressure on available courts.

A New Phase: Professionalization is Essential

According to Edu Jansing, Managing Director of the KNLTB, the sport is at a crucial juncture: "The popularity continues to grow, but now is the time to further structure the sport. This requires capacity expansion, a better distribution of courts, and enough qualified coaches."

To keep the sport accessible and of high quality, the KNLTB will focus on the following in the coming period:

  1. Transparent ratings: A better system to match players of the same level for balanced and competitive matches.

  2. More coaches: Scaling up the capacity and quality of coaching programs, partly to properly guide the large influx of youth players.

  3. Data-driven expansion: Researching which regions hold the most growth potential, ensuring new courts are placed smartly and accessibly.

Padel Has Come of Age

EY, the main padel partner of the KNLTB, also notes that the sport has moved past its pioneer phase. Patrick Gabriëls (Managing Partner EY Netherlands): "Padel is pre-eminently a sport for everyone. It connects people and appeals to a broad demographic. It is wonderful to see how the sport has developed in recent years and has now truly come of age."

Want to read the full report? Ready to dive into all the statistics, regional differences, and future plans for padel in the Netherlands? The full Padel in Cijfers 2025 report can be downloaded here.

Source: KNLTB