The State of Padel Coaching in the UK: 2026 Overview

Padel arrived in Britain quietly. For most of the 2010s it existed on the margins – a handful of courts, a few hundred enthusiasts, almost no professional infrastructure. Then something shifted.

Between 2019 and 2025, the number of padel courts in the UK grew from 50 to over 1,000. Annual participation went from 6,000 players to over 400,000. The LTA, which became the national governing body for padel in Britain in 2020, has invested more than £6 million into the sport. And a coaching workforce that barely existed five years ago is now being built from scratch – with all the opportunity and growing pains that brings.

This is where padel coaching in Britain stands in 2026.

The court explosion

The headline number is striking: in July 2025, the LTA confirmed that Great Britain had reached 1,000 padel courts across 325 venues – a milestone originally targeted for 2026, hit a year early.

For context, there were 50 courts in 2019. That is a twentyfold increase in six years, at a compound annual growth rate of 56%. It is one of the fastest expansions of any sport’s infrastructure in modern British sporting history.

The growth is not stopping. Industry analysts project the UK could support 7,000 to 8,000 courts within the next decade, driven by:

• Private investment from operators like Rocket Padel, We Are Padel, PadelStars, and dozens of independent clubs
• LTA funding via its Quick Access Loan Scheme, which supports projects providing public court access
• Local authority interest – councils increasingly see padel as a low-cost way to activate underused land and meet sport participation targets
• Venue diversification – padel courts are appearing in David Lloyd leisure clubs, public parks, hotel grounds, and school sites

The planning environment remains challenging. Indoor facilities require significant capital and can face objections on noise and visual impact. But the emergence of covered outdoor courts – canopy structures that provide weather protection without triggering complex planning requirements – is accelerating delivery across the country.

The player boom

Court supply has been chasing player demand, not leading it.

Over 400,000 Brits played padel in 2024, according to LTA data – more than triple the 129,000 who played in 2023. Monthly participation at David Lloyd alone grew from 3,300 players in April 2023 to 18,100 by April 2025. Some 51,000 adults in England now play at least twice a month.

What is driving this? A combination of factors that experienced coaches will recognise immediately.

Accessibility. A complete beginner can play a real rally within minutes. The glass walls keep the ball in play, the smaller court removes the athletic demands of tennis, and the doubles format means you are always playing with and against other people. The sport has a 92% return rate – players who try it once almost always come back.

Social by design. Padel is always played in doubles. You need four people. That social dependency is a feature, not a limitation – it creates community faster than almost any other sport, and community creates retention.

The demographic mix. Padel has attracted players from tennis, squash, football, and people who have never played any racquet sport before. It skews professional, urban, and 25-45 – a demographic with disposable income, busy schedules, and genuine appetite for coaching.

The coaching workforce

Here is where the story gets interesting for coaches – and where the opportunity lies.

The LTA launched its padel coaching qualification pathway in 2020. The current structure is:

• LTA Padel Instructor (Level 2): The entry-level qualification, a five-day course covering group coaching methodology, lesson planning, safeguarding, and LTA technical and tactical frameworks. Required for coaching at any LTA registered venue since January 2024.
• LTA Padel Coach (Level 3): Officially launching in 2026. Designed for coaches working with performance players and competitive squads.
• CPD modules: Specialist electives including Coaching Kids Padel and How to Coach the Double Glass.

The LTA plans five qualification levels in total, eventually aligning fully with the tennis pathway.

The accreditation requirement – which came into force in January 2024 – means that every active coach at a registered venue is now a known, verified entity in the LTA system. The coaching workforce is becoming formalised, fast.

But precise numbers are difficult to pin down. The LTA coach finder lists accredited coaches, but many qualified coaches are still establishing their practices, working across multiple venues, or operating informally. The UK coaching workforce is large enough to feel real – and small enough that a genuinely professional, well-equipped coach stands out immediately.