PadelXpo launches at the NEC Birmingham next year, promising to “unite players, fans, brands, clubs, operators and industry leaders in one high-energy setting.”
The large-scale event will take place on 5-6 June 2027 and will feature a familiar line-up of padel-loving celebrities including Aitch, Jason Manford and Chemmy Alcott, as well as a host of industry partners.
PadelXpo is billing itself as “the first large-scale event designed to bring together the full ecosystem of the sport at scale” and will seek to capitalise on, and help drive, the sport’s continuing boom in the UK.
With participation more than doubling in the past year to over one million players and more than 1,500 courts now in operation nationwide, PadelXpo hopes to connect the sport’s consumer audience with its commercial landscape.
It will “provide a central meeting point for the UK padel market and a space where participation, culture and commercial opportunity come together.”
Across two days, the event will combine demo courts, tournaments and coaching with a large scale exhibition featuring more than 200 brands spanning equipment, apparel, technology, nutrition, wellness and lifestyle.
A curated networking programme will facilitate meetings between buyers, operators and brands, creating a focused environment for business development and partnership building.
A show court will sit at the heart of the event, hosting a programme of exhibition matches and tournaments featuring a mix of professional players, elite athletes, content creators and celebrity guests competing for a charity prize pot.
Already confirmed to appear are Brit Award Winner & Rapper, Aitch, comedian Jason Manford, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan OBE, Olympians Chemmy Alcott, Montell Douglas and Gail Emms, alongside GB padel player Nikhil Mohindra and Sky presenters Gail & Jo, with further names to be announced in the lead-up to the event.
The event has also secured support from across the industry, with founding partner Palair joined by Inclusive Padel Tour, The Padel Foundation, JM Academy, Sports Insight, PadelNation, Eutopia Agency and ISPO as confirmed partners, underlining the sector-wide backing for a dedicated national event.
PadelXpo is being launched by Raccoon Media Group, the award-winning events and media business behind a portfolio of leading sport and participation events across the UK, Europe, the USA and the Middle East.
Mike Seaman, Group CEO of Raccoon Media Group, said: “Padel is one of the most exciting sports stories in the UK right now, with strong participation growth, a highly engaged audience and increasing international attention. The market has reached a point where it needs a central platform that brings everything together.
“PadelXpo is our investment in that next phase. The calibre of players, personalities and partners who have already committed demonstrates the appetite for an event that represents the entire sport.
“We’re creating an experience that reflects the energy and accessibility of padel while providing a serious environment for business, partnerships and growth. It will give the UK padel community a focal point and a place to build from.”
