Padel court vs squash court - which sport attracts more members to a fitness club?

A single data point settles the opening argument: at David Lloyd Clubs in the UK, monthly padel participation jumped from 3,300 players in April 2023 to 18,100 by April 2025, a 448% increase in two years at one operator. In the same period, UK squash participation continued its long-running decline from 425,600 adults in 2016 to around 250,000 in 2023. For a fitness club deciding which racquet sport to add, the first instinct is to pick up the phone to a padel court manufacturer and skip squash entirely.

That instinct is usually right, but not always. This comparison shows when padel wins, when squash still makes sense, and what fitness operators need to know before committing capital to either sport.

What the numbers say in 2026?

Padel is the fastest-growing racquet sport in the world, and the data is not close. Squash has a smaller, older, more loyal player base and the LA28 Olympics to reverse two decades of decline.

Key comparative figures at the start of 2026:

- Global padel players: over 35 million across 130+ countries, with global court count projected to reach 70,000 by end of 2026

- Global squash players: approximately 20 million, based on industry estimates, with participation in established markets flat or declining

- UK padel players (LTA data): over 400,000 adults and juniors in 2024, up from 129,000 in 2023 and just 15,000 in 2019

- UK squash players (Sport England): around 250,000 regular adult players in 2023, down from 425,600 in 2016

- Player return rate after first session: 92% for padel, according to the Playtomic/PwC Global Padel Report 2025; no comparable industry-wide figure exists for squash, but anecdotal retention is significantly lower

- Gender balance: padel runs roughly 60/40 male-to-female according to the FIP, which makes it one of the most gender-inclusive racquet sports; squash skews heavily male

- Global padel market value: approximately €2 billion annually, growing at 15% per year; the padel club market alone is projected to reach €6 billion by 2026 (Playtomic/Monitor Deloitte)

Head-to-head: padel court vs squash court as a fitness club amenity

Fitness clubs do not buy racquet courts for sport. They buy them for footfall, retention, and secondary spend. The comparison below ranks both sports on the metrics that actually matter to operators.

Why padel wins on member acquisition?

Padel acquires members that a fitness club could not otherwise reach. Three mechanisms explain this, and they all compound.

The four-player doubles format. A padel booking is a social event. One member brings three friends, three of whom are not yet members of the club. The conversion funnel is built into the sport. Squash is a one-on-one game, often between two members already in the system.

The low skill floor. The FIP reports that padel players experience a 92% return rate after their first session. Beginners can rally within 15 minutes because the walls keep the ball in play. Squash has a steeper learning curve, and a bad first session at squash often means a member who never comes back to the court. Ray Algar at Oxygen Consulting, author of the UK Padel Report, notes that "the inherent joy of padel shines through, and this is very powerful in fostering the long-term retention of players."

The gender balance. 40% of padel players globally are women according to the FIP. Most squash club memberships are 70-80% male. For a fitness club trying to offer amenities that appeal to the full membership base, padel delivers immediately.

The David Lloyd Clubs case is the cleanest proof in the UK market. The operator now runs 166 padel courts across 47 clubs, and monthly padel participation at David Lloyd grew 5.5x in 24 months. No other racquet sport has delivered anything like that growth curve inside a fitness club chain.

When squash still makes commercial sense?

Padel is the default answer for most fitness clubs in 2026, but not all of them. Squash keeps its place in specific scenarios.

- The club already has a legacy squash community. Tearing out two working squash courts to install one padel court looks good on a spreadsheet and terrible on a member satisfaction survey. Existing squash members are loyal, high-frequency users who rarely migrate to other facilities.

- Space constraints favour the smaller footprint. A squash court needs 9.75 x 6.4 metres. A padel court needs 20 x 10 metres plus run-off. In converted urban warehouses where floor plates are tight, squash fits where padel does not.

- LA28 Olympics visibility. Squash makes its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028. Post-Olympics, the sport will see a measurable participation bump. China reported 30%+ growth in clubs and participation after IOC confirmation.

- The catchment is squash-heavy. A few UK and German cities, plus most of Egypt, Malaysia and Pakistan, retain strong squash communities where the sport remains the default racquet offering.

- Serious sport, serious fitness. A 45-minute squash session burns more calories than almost any other indoor racquet sport. For a fitness-focused club with a performance-oriented membership, squash is arguably a better workout than padel.

For most commercial fitness chains in Western Europe, the math still tilts to padel. But a blanket "rip out squash, install padel" strategy misreads the actual member base in plenty of clubs.

Capital cost and space: the practical comparison

Capital cost is where the padel court manufacturer conversation gets detailed. The headline numbers look straightforward, but the total project cost varies by a factor of three depending on specification and location.

A basic outdoor double padel court in Continental Europe can be built for €25,000 to €45,000 for the court structure alone, according to industry data from the Playtomic Global Padel Report. In the UK, industry averages suggest a standard outdoor double padel court costs £38,000 to £60,000 including basic ground works and lighting, rising to £120,000+ for a single outdoor canopied court according to UK Padel Report data, and over £100,000 per court for fully covered or indoor configurations.

A squash court in a fitness club context typically costs significantly more per finished court when you include WSF-accredited walls, sprung timber floors, lighting to at least 300 lux per WSF spec, and the required 5.64 m ceiling height with structural reinforcement.

Capital cost comparison on a typical fitness club project:

- Padel: lower structural demands, faster install, courts can be outdoor or covered-outdoor for a fraction of the indoor cost

- Squash: requires building shell conforming to WSF specifications, full HVAC, acoustic treatment (squash is loud), and more expensive wall systems from manufacturers like ASB, Courtcraft or SQUASHTECH

- Space usage: one padel court takes the space of roughly three squash courts, but handles four players per booking instead of two

On pure revenue per square metre, indoor padel in high-demand UK urban markets is currently running ahead of squash. Demand outstrips supply so dramatically that Playtomic data shows peak bookings selling out weeks in advance at major London venues.

How to choose a padel court manufacturer?

If the decision goes to padel, the choice of padel court manufacturer shapes the next 15 years of court performance, maintenance cost and tournament eligibility. The manufacturer market has consolidated around a handful of serious players.

Leading padel court manufacturers in 2026 by category:

- Premium / tournament-grade. MejorSet (Spain) is the official court of Premier Padel and the International Padel Federation, with FIP and Premier Padel approvals. Padel Galis (Spain) has installed over 10,000 courts in 75 countries, with a World Padel Tour heritage and a panoramic 2026 Atlas model. Padel Court Deluxe (Spain, merged with Greenset in 2023) uses robotic welding and carbon-fibre panoramic courts.

- Professional European suppliers. AFP Courts, official manufacturer for adidas padel courts and the US Pro Padel League. Euronix (Italy), Padel Hispania (Spain/Portugal), JUBO Padel (Spain, 25+ years). These serve sports clubs and commercial operators at scale.

- Emerging Asian manufacturers. Super Power Sports (China) and ArtPadel offer factory-direct pricing with FIP-spec tournament-grade courts, typically with assembly in 2-3 days per court. Growing share in emerging markets.

- Local specialists. Regional manufacturers and installers cover specific national markets with stronger after-sales service than larger international players.

What to evaluate when selecting a padel court manufacturer:

- FIP and Premier Padel approvals for the specific model, not just the manufacturer

- Structural engineering for local conditions, especially wind resistance for panoramic models and climate treatments for humid or coastal sites

- Warranty length and after-sales network, particularly spare parts availability in your country

- Installation model: factory technicians vs certified local partners (the installation is where cheap projects fail)

- Integration with booking platforms like Playtomic, which handles court bookings across the majority of UK pay-and-play venues

- Turf and lighting specification: 2026 tournament standards require laser-levelling, advanced anchoring systems, and typically 500+ lux for league play

The pattern we see across mature markets: serious commercial operators default to Spanish manufacturers (MejorSet, Padel Galis, AFP, JUBO), hospitality amenity projects often use mid-tier European brands, and price-driven developers increasingly trial Chinese manufacturers for secondary venues.

Fitness club operating models that work

The decision is not binary. Three operating models have emerged for fitness clubs integrating padel and/or squash into their offer.

Model 1: Padel as flagship amenity. Add 2-4 padel courts to an existing fitness club, typically covered outdoor or converted warehouse space. Primary goal is member acquisition and secondary spend. David Lloyd Clubs is the textbook case study, scaling from pilot to 166 courts across 47 clubs.

Model 2: Multi-sport racquet facility. A dedicated racquet centre combining padel (the crowd-puller), squash (the retention anchor), pickleball (the daytime filler), and tennis (the legacy base). Works best in suburban catchments with 50,000+ population and limited racquet sport provision. The convergence is real: in the US, 30% of pickleball venues now offer padel courts.

Model 3: Boutique operator, single-sport focus. Dedicated padel clubs (Game4Padel operates 26 UK venues, backed by Andy Murray, Jamie Murray, Tammy Abraham and Callum Wilson, having raised $13.3 million) or dedicated squash facilities for the serious player market. High margin, higher risk, requires operator expertise.

For most existing fitness clubs in 2026, Model 1 is the dominant choice. Clubs without racquet courts are missing 15-25% of potential member revenue according to UK fitness industry data, and padel converts that gap into new membership faster than any other racquet sport.

FAQ

Does padel attract more new members than squash for a fitness club?

Yes, significantly. The data is one-directional: 92% first-session return rate in padel, the social doubles format that brings non-members into the club, and demographic breadth that includes 40% female participation. David Lloyd's 448% padel growth over 24 months has no parallel in any other racquet sport at UK fitness club scale. Squash retains loyal existing members well, but acquires new ones slowly.

How much does a padel court cost compared to a squash court?

A basic outdoor double padel court costs €25,000 to €45,000 for the court structure, rising to £100,000+ for covered or indoor configurations in the UK. Squash courts cost less on the court system itself but require building shell conforming to WSF dimensions (5.64 m ceiling, acoustic treatment, HVAC), which pushes total installed cost higher in most projects. Per finished court ready to play, padel is usually the cheaper capital investment in fitness club contexts.

Which padel court manufacturer should a fitness club choose?

For tournament-grade courts with FIP approval, Spanish manufacturers MejorSet, Padel Galis, AFP Courts and JUBO Padel dominate the premium tier. For mid-tier commercial projects, Italian and Nordic specialists like Euronix and Padelmagic are credible alternatives. Key selection criteria: FIP approval on the specific model, local installation network, warranty terms of at least 5-10 years on structural elements, and integration with booking platforms that members already use.

Can a fitness club have both padel and squash?

Yes, and many do. A multi-sport racquet facility combining 2-4 padel courts with 2-3 squash courts and optional pickleball serves different member segments without cannibalisation. Padel drives acquisition, squash drives retention in the existing base, pickleball fills daytime slots. The challenge is space: a single padel court uses roughly the footprint of three squash courts, so the mix depends on available floor area.

Is padel a passing trend?

The market correction will come, but the underlying sport has real legs. Padel's 92% player return rate is the strongest retention metric in any racquet sport. The FIP reports federation-registered membership grew 42% year-on-year and FIP-organised tournaments surged from 182 in 2024 to 290 in 2025. That said, the Playtomic 2025 report warns of a wave of speculative club openings (one new club every 2.5 hours globally) run by operators without sport knowledge. Clubs built around programming, coaching and community survive the correction. Speculator-operated clubs will not.