Padel World Summit -PWS- will hold its third edition from 26 to 28 May in Barcelona, with 140 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and a 35% increase in exhibition space. The event, organised by Fira de Barcelona and the International Padel Cluster, is consolidating its position as the leading global trade fair for padel and will bring together brands, manufacturers, clubs, federations, investors, startups and operators linked to the international growth of the sport in Hall 6 of the Gran Via venue.
Under the slogan “Where Padel meets Business”, the 2026 edition will feature 56% international exhibitors, with a strong presence from France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland, Sweden and China, as well as companies from the United States, Portugal, Denmark, Mexico and South Africa, among other markets. The director of Padel World Summit, Alex Ponseti, said that “the international growth consolidates our event as a must-attend meeting point for all members of the padel industry and highlights the maturity of this sport as a global industry”.
A trade fair for the entire padel value chain
The event is structured as a professional platform connecting sport, innovation and business across the main segments of the industry: sports equipment, specialised retail, court construction, flooring, complementary infrastructure, management technology, playing experience and club services. The exhibition area will feature brands such as Adidas, Joma, HEAD, Skechers, Babolat, Bonabola and Endless, alongside operators such as Padel Nuestro, digital solutions such as Playtomic and companies specialised in courts, surfaces and infrastructure including PadelGest, RealTurf, TenCate Grass, Mondo, LED Projects and Okatent.
The event’s offer is structured around several complementary spaces: the Expo B2B, the Global Padel Conference, the Play Arena, the Innovation Arena and the Business Lounge. The aim is to combine commercial exhibition, strategic content, product testing, brand activations and professional networking. “Padel World Summit helps drive padel’s leap from a sporting phenomenon to a global industry. A sport born to connect people, communities and territories, which finds in the Summit the professional space where those shaping its future come together,” Ponseti said.
Conference, investment and technology for new markets
The Global Padel Conference will be the congress platform of the event and will bring together 90 speakers to address padel’s roadmap as an international industry. Participants will include Bill Ullman, president of the United States Padel Association -USPA-; Mark Hewlett, chief executive of Soul Padel; Inés Álvarez, former world number one; and Patricio Misitrano, founder of Racket Social Club. The agenda will include debates on international expansion, financing new clubs, digitalisation, market development and the professionalisation of operators.
Innovation will have its own space in the Innovation Arena, which will bring together 20 startups selected for their ability to transform the playing experience and the business of padel. The area will include a Start-up Zone, an Investment Lounge and an Innovation Stage, with projects linked to artificial intelligence, sustainability, performance analysis, club management, interactive experiences, bookings, tournaments and new solutions to improve the efficiency of facilities.
Startups, active courts and sporting figures
Among the participating startups will be Bandeja AI, with an AI-powered video analysis and coaching platform; FeedxBoost, focused on real-time player tracking; LaPadel Agency, centred on connecting coaches with clubs; Preserva Padel, Bopa and Ballid Oy, with pressurisation systems designed to extend the lifespan of padel balls; Infinite Athletic, with sportswear made from recycled tennis racket strings; and Sweanty Tech, which analyses athletes’ sodium loss through smart patches to optimise hydration.
The sporting component will be concentrated on ten active courts, used for matches, product presentations, technology demonstrations, material testing and brand activations. They will feature figures such as Fernando Belasteguín, regarded as one of the best players in padel history, Juan Cruz Belluati and Carolina Navarro, world number one on the World Padel Tour for nine years. Padel World Summit expects to exceed the 6,000 professional visitors recorded at the previous edition, including club members, retailers, distributors, investors, federations, players, coaches, official bodies and tour operators.
Barcelona, a connection point for a growing sector
The growth of the event comes at a time of global expansion for padel. According to figures provided by the organisers, the sport now exceeds 35 million players worldwide and has more than 24,600 clubs and 77,300 courts. The global market is close to €2 billion and is forecast to reach €6 billion in 2026, driven by internationalisation, investment in clubs and the development of new infrastructure.
Spain remains central to that map, with a market volume close to €900 million, more than 4,500 clubs and 17,000 courts, while Italy, Argentina and the United States are emerging as key markets. This edition of Padel World Summit will again place Barcelona as a connection point between sport, investment, innovation and business, in a city that has also strengthened its international link with padel through the Premier Padel Finals.
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