Ben Nichols, CEO and founder of communications consultancy Padel 22, continues his series assessing the truth behind the ‘padel boom’ in its key growth nations around the world
Growing padel in somewhere as large and diverse as Africa is an ambitious task. Fronting the development of the sport across the continent is none other than Padel Africa.
Led by former ice hockey player Michael Mathiesen, Padel Africa is built on the premise of bringing the world’s fastest-growing game to the world’s fastest-growing continent. Sounds good, but is it? Well, in a word, yes.
In Padel Africa, here is a conglomerate of padel enthusiasts and business minds committed to growing the game by building clubs, bringing pop-up padel to different locations – and all with a philanthropic undercurrent to bring this inclusive sport to all communities.
Naturally, however, when it comes to African sport, it is South Africa leading the way with padel’s growth.
Companies like the fashionable 10by20 Padel and Africa Padel are cutting through, reaching and exciting communities across this sports-mad nation.
Africa Padel, founded by Swedish entrepreneur Philippe Kjellgren, now has 10 clubs across South Africa – the latest opening just last week in Port Elizabeth.
Africa Padel has vowed to build and equip one court in a disadvantaged community for every 10 commercial courts built. The first was in Langa, managed by the charity Project Playground.
Africa’s first court was only launched in 2019, but there are already 120 across 43 sites where South Africans can now pick up a racket. That number is sure to grow fast. And SA being SA, think mountains, ocean views and stunning sunsets as the backdrop to your padel experience.
See also:
State of the Game: Padel in the UK
State of the Game: Padel in the UAE
State of the Game: Padel in Australia
State of the Game: Padel in the USA
Image credits: Africa Padel
