Padel enters the sport industry's biggest night - does this herald racquet sport's arrival at the main stage?
The sport that's taken Britain by storm has found its way onto one of international sport's most prestigious shortlists. Padel 22's finalist status in the Best Newcomer category at the 25th Sport Industry Awards feels like a broader signal of where the industry is heading.
National Padel League’s USA National Team League Announces Return for 2026 Season Following Breakout 2025 Campaign
Following a record-breaking 2025 season that solidified its position as the premier amateur padel team competition in the U.S., the National Padel League (NPL) today announced the launch of its 2026 USA National Team League season. Building on a year of unprecedented growth, the 2026 circuit will introduce a dual-season format (Spring and Fall), expanded women’s categories and a continued nationwide expansion across six major U.S. regions.
Padel news: ‘The Olympics needs padel more than padel needs the Olympics’, says Gail Emms
Padel’s rapid rise in the UK is being driven by participation, visibility, and social appeal, with leading figures from sport and industry highlighting both the scale of its growth and the work still required to support its long-term prospects. That was the takeaway from the debut Padel 22 Media Sessions event in London.
Amidst growing discussion surrounding padel’s Olympic prospects for Brisbane 2032, it was former world badminton champion and Olympic silver medallist Gail Emms MBE who delivered one of the standout lines of the day, offering a measured take on the sport’s Olympic ambitions.