What Happened to Padel in Sweden?

Over the past decade, padel in Sweden experienced one of the fastest growth stories in global sports. From a niche racket sport to a nationwide phenomenon, padel courts appeared in every city, tournaments sold out, and investors rushed in. But just as quickly as the sport exploded, questions began to surface: What happened to padel in Sweden?

In this article, we explore the rise, boom, and market correction of Swedish padel, examining what went wrong, what lessons were learned, and what the future holds for padel players, clubs, and tournaments across Sweden.

The Rise of Padel in Sweden

Padel arrived in Sweden in the early 2010s and quickly gained traction. The sport was easy to learn, highly social, and perfectly suited for players coming from tennis, squash, and badminton.

By the mid-to-late 2010s, padel Sweden had become a national obsession. Clubs filled up every evening, corporate leagues flourished, and amateur padel tournaments attracted record participation.

• Low barrier to entry for beginners
• Strong social and community aspect
• Rapid court construction nationwide
• Media coverage and celebrity endorsements

The Padel Boom: Courts Everywhere

Between 2018 and 2021, Sweden witnessed an unprecedented padel boom. Thousands of padel courts were built in a very short period, often backed by private investors expecting continued exponential growth.

New padel centers opened not only in major cities like Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, but also in small towns where demand was overestimated.

While the growth looked impressive on paper, the pace quickly became unsustainable. Oversupply of padel courts in Sweden soon became a major issue.

Market Correction and Financial Struggles

By 2022, the Swedish padel market began to show signs of stress. Court occupancy dropped, competition between clubs intensified, and several operators struggled with high rent and operating costs.

Some key factors behind the padel decline in Sweden include:

• Overinvestment and rapid expansion
• Rising energy and operational costs
• Post-pandemic behavior changes
• Price competition and reduced margins

As a result, multiple padel clubs filed for bankruptcy or were forced to restructure, leading to widespread media coverage questioning the long-term future of padel in Sweden.

Impact on Padel Tournaments and Players

The downturn didn’t mean Swedes stopped playing padel. Participation remained relatively strong, but the ecosystem changed.

Padel tournaments in Sweden became more localized, prize money decreased, and sponsorships were harder to secure. However, grassroots competitions and league-based play continued to thrive.

Players became more selective, favoring quality clubs, better organization, and digital platforms for matchmaking and tournament management.

Lessons Learned from Swedish Padel

Sweden’s padel journey offers important lessons for other countries experiencing rapid growth:

1. Growth must be demand-driven, not speculation-driven
2. Quality clubs outperform quantity
3. Strong community engagement is critical
4. Technology and data matter in modern sports operations

The Future of Padel in Sweden

So, what’s next for padel in Sweden? Rather than a collapse, the sport is undergoing a healthy correction.

The market is stabilizing, weaker operators are exiting, and stronger clubs are focusing on long-term sustainability, youth development, and competitive structures.

Sweden remains one of the world’s most mature padel markets, with a highly skilled player base and deep cultural adoption of the sport. The next phase is not about explosive growth—but about refinement.

Conclusion

What happened to padel in Sweden? The sport grew too fast, corrected itself, and is now evolving into a more sustainable ecosystem.

For players, organizers, and investors, Swedish padel is no longer a gold rush— it’s a long-term game. And for those who adapt, the future of padel in Sweden remains very much alive.