Major UK padel operator PadelStars have set targets to achieve a 50/50 gender split at their clubs to address the continuing imbalance on Britain’s courts.
Among the many positive participation statistics published by the LTA in March, there was one which caused some consternation: only 30% of padel players in the UK are female.
Pep Stonor’s Empower Padel events, World Padel Academy’s female-only nights in Mansfield, and the LTA’s She Rallies plan, are all examples of efforts to address the issue.
Now, major operator PadelStars, which has 11 venues and six more in the pipeline, has set itself an ambitious target of 50% participation at its venues by 2027. Its current rate of female participation is 28%.
PadelStars has asked Fiona Coope, assistant manager at PadelStars St Albans, to spearhead their efforts to increase female participation across its estate, supported by former LTA no.1 Ellie Tait as an ambassador.
Tait, who has begun 2026 competing internationally on the FIP circuit, said: “PadelStars’ ambition to reach 50/50 male and female participation by 2027 is bold, but it’s exactly what padel needs as it grows.
“It shows a tangible commitment to building something inclusive from the start, where women feel just as welcome and represented on court! For me it’s exciting to help bring it to life in a practical way.”
Coope, new Head of Female Participation, has identified barriers for women taking up the sport and is developing a programme and range of activities that aims to negate these. This aims to make padel more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for women to engage with the sport.
She said: “There are a number of factors that are stopping women from playing the sport. There are confidence issues around ability and body image; they don’t want to be in a male-dominated environment, especially newcomers; there are safety concerns on location, particularly at night; and the facilities need to be of a certain standard.
“Being aware of this enables us to put on events and activities that allay these fears and bring together women and girls into a fun and sociable environment.”
The strategy recognises that women entering the sport have diverse needs, ranging from highly competitive players to complete beginners seeking a supportive environment. As a result, PadelStars is developing a broad mix of entry points, including coaching sessions, tournaments, and community-driven events.
Moving forward, the initiative aims to expand to include partnerships with local schools, as well as holiday camps and junior pathways.
Insights gathered throughout 2026 will inform a wider rollout in 2027, with the aim of building long-term, sustainable growth in female padel participation across the sport.
Jeevan Gill, COO of PadelStars, said: “The 50/50 ambition really matters because padel is still such a new sport, and that means we’ve got a rare chance to do things differently from the very start. In many established sports, gender imbalance has been baked in for decades. While it’s great to see progress in sports like football, cricket and rugby, padel gives us a clean slate to get that balance right from day one.
“It taps into that love of group activity many women enjoy, bringing back the kind of energy you’d find in netball teams or aerobics classes.
“And let’s be honest, women are incredible community builders. They show up, they support, they bring friends, and they help create that welcoming, vibrant atmosphere every great padel club needs. They don’t just play the sport, they help it thrive.”
Another operator setting itself a 50/50 gender balance target is Padel4all, with coach Meghan Ward leading efforts to achieve this at its Bracknell venue.
She’s made a pretty good start. Padel4all opened its Bracknell venue on 15 December 2025 and within the first few months, court usage by women and girls rose from 22% to 34.8%.
That increase has been driven by a range of programmes aimed at engaging and supporting women and developing the next generation of female players.
Meghan initially offered many women-only intro sessions and now leads three women’s coaching sessions per week and a ladies’ mix-in morning, plus a fully-booked ‘Padel, Pizza & Prosecco’ evening tournament. A women’s box league is set to start soon.
“They really enjoyed the intro sessions,” says Meghan. “After that, word soon got around at the school gate, in friendship groups, on Whatsapp and Instagram. Some of them have started individual lessons with me. They’re all improving and egg each other on.”
Starting as a free trial, the weekly girls’ coaching sessions in Bracknell now feature eight girls aged between six and nine, with more on a waiting list.
“I’m keen to get our gender balance up to 50/50 because many clubs are male-dominated,” said Meghan. “I experienced that during my tennis career and it’s something that can put women off.
“The club is buzzing and thriving because I think women and girls find it a welcoming and accessible place to be.”
