Why Women Are Joining the UK’s Padel Boom Slowly

Published: 6 August 2026
The English Chronicle Desk
The English Chronicle Online

Padel has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK, with new courts appearing across towns and cities at a rapid pace. Yet despite its growing popularity, the sport is facing a significant challenge: attracting more women players.

The racquet sport, which combines elements of tennis and squash, has experienced a major surge in recent years. Played mainly in doubles, padel uses smaller stringless racquets and allows players to hit the ball against surrounding walls, creating a fast-paced and social style of play.

In 2025, the Lawn Tennis Association described padel as one of the fastest-growing sports in Britain. However, figures from Padelstars, which operates 15 facilities across England, suggest women remain underrepresented, making up only around 30% of current players.

To address the imbalance, Padelstars has launched She Rallies, a series of free women-only coaching sessions designed to encourage more women to try the sport in a welcoming environment.

The initiative aims to remove some of the barriers that may prevent women from taking part, including concerns about confidence, accessibility and entering spaces where male players dominate.

James Andreotti, a Padelstars coach and regional manager, said some women may feel uncomfortable attending facilities where most players are men.

“The gender gap might be down to men feeling a little bit more comfortable or confident walking in on their own,” he said.

“It could be slightly intimidating for a female walking into a heavily populated male environment.”

He added that the company wanted to create more opportunities specifically for women.

“We wanted to do more for the women,” Andreotti said.

Padel’s rapid expansion has transformed the sporting landscape in many parts of England. Padelstars now operates venues across the South, including locations such as Bournemouth, Bracknell, Egham, Guildford, Chichester, Reading and Southampton.

The company said improving gender balance and making the sport more accessible had become a major consideration when planning new venues.

This includes looking at practical issues that can affect people’s confidence and safety, such as the distance between courts and car parks, lighting conditions and whether facilities feel welcoming during darker winter evenings.

For many women interested in starting a new sport, the environment can be just as important as the activity itself.

Women attending a She Rallies session in Bracknell told the BBC that they appreciated having opportunities to play in women-only groups as well as mixed teams.

One participant said increasing female participation would be a positive development for the sport.

“Getting more women into the game would be fabulous,” she said.

Another described padel as an enjoyable and social way to stay active.

“It’s great fun, a great way of keeping fit and really social,” she said.

She added that more women would likely enjoy the sport once they gave it a chance.

“It would be great to get more ladies into the game and I think they’d love it once they get into it.”

Padel’s appeal comes partly from its accessibility. Unlike some competitive sports that require years of experience, many beginners can quickly learn the basics and enjoy playing with friends or new teammates.

The smaller court size, slower learning curve compared with traditional tennis and doubles format make it attractive to people looking for exercise combined with social interaction.

However, sports participation research has repeatedly shown that women can face additional barriers when entering activities traditionally dominated by men. These can include confidence issues, concerns about being judged, lack of female role models and uncertainty about whether facilities are designed with their needs in mind.

Padelstars believes creating specific entry points for women can help change perceptions and encourage more people to participate.

The company said more than 145 women attended its July She Rallies sessions, with around half being completely new to padel.

Following the success of the programme, further sessions are planned before the end of the year.

The push to attract more female players comes at a time when padel is expanding rapidly across the UK. New courts are being built in leisure centres, private clubs and community spaces, while more people are discovering the sport through friends, social media and organised events.

Supporters say increasing female participation will be important for the long-term growth of padel, ensuring it develops into an inclusive sport rather than one associated with a particular group of players.

For many women who have already discovered padel, the sport offers more than just physical exercise. It provides an opportunity to meet people, build friendships and enjoy competitive activity in a relaxed environment.

As more clubs focus on accessibility and creating welcoming spaces, organisers hope the gender gap will continue to narrow.

Padel’s future success may depend not only on how many new courts are built, but also on who feels confident enough to step onto them.

With initiatives such as She Rallies encouraging more women to pick up a racquet for the first time, the sport is hoping its next stage of growth will be more balanced and inclusive.

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