Currently, over 30 million people play padel across 110 countries, and its popularity is rapidly expanding worldwide.
What’s the secret? Padel is a fun, social sport that combines the best elements of racket sports. It’s a bit like tennis, a bit like squash, but really its own unique world. Easy to learn, fast-paced, and addictive – it’s no wonder many call it “squash in the sun” or “tennis with walls.”
Racket
Court
Scoring
Padel’s story didn’t start in a sports hall or an office, but in the courtyard of a Mexican villa back in 1969. Enrique Corcuera, an avid sports enthusiast, wanted to build a tennis court at his home — but there was a small problem: he didn’t have enough space for a full-sized court.
But Enrique wasn’t the type to give up easily. He took the space he had, redesigned the court smaller, and built walls around it to keep the ball in play. He tweaked the traditional tennis rules and made the walls an integral part of the game. That’s how “Paddle Corcuera” was born — a completely new game that quickly became popular among his friends.
At that time, padel wasn’t a global sport yet — it was simply a creative solution in a Mexican backyard. And that’s exactly where its magic lies: simple, dynamic, friendly — and fun from the very first moment.
Birth of padel
Padel was invented in 1969 in Mexico by Enrique Corcuera. The idea came from wanting to build a tennis court at his home but lacking enough space — so he designed a smaller court surrounded by walls. This gave birth to “Paddle Corcuera,” which quickly became popular in the neighborhood.
Europe and South America
Padel traveled from Mexico to Spain and Argentina as early as the 1970s, quickly gaining massive popularity: it became one of the most beloved sports in Spain and nearly a national sport in Argentina. Its social, energetic nature perfectly matched the Mediterranean and South American lifestyles — that’s where its journey truly took off.
Global Expansion
Over the past two decades, padel has exploded in popularity: today, more than 30 million players enjoy the sport across 110 countries. It has evolved into an official world championship sport, with professional tournaments and a community game accessible to all ages — including right here in Hungary!