# Kroon Padel × Fernhill Creative — market brief

**Research cut-off: 19 October 2026.** Figures are kept to their source definitions; estimates, registered players and active-player measures should not be presented as interchangeable.

## 1. Netherlands market size

- **876,000 people** played padel at least once during 2025, while approximately **424,000 played monthly** under the NOC*NSF definition.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))
- **343,121 players were registered or otherwise known to the KNLTB** through a padel membership or KNLTB play, an increase of **10% in 2025**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))
- At year-end 2025, the Netherlands had **3,523 courts at 780 locations**, comprising 329 commercial centres and 451 associations.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))
- Courts increased from 2,828 in 2024 to 3,523 in 2025, or **+25%**, while locations increased from 677 to 780, or **+15%**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))
- Growth is nevertheless becoming more controlled: the report says annual court and location growth rates are declining, although they remain in double digits, and demand for playing capacity continues to outpace location growth.[1][2] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

**Most authoritative source:** the KNLTB/EY *Padel in Cijfers 2025* report.[1] The KNLTB is the national federation, and the participation estimate incorporates NOC*NSF data rather than relying solely on bookings.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

## 2. Flanders and Belgium

### Flanders

- Tennis and Padel Vlaanderen reported **106,917 registered padel players in 2025**, up **17.35% year on year**.[3] ([tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl](https://tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-4547612.html))
- The latest exact federation court count I could verify is **1,543 courts in 2024**, versus 1,455 in 2023 and 1,328 in 2022.[4] ([docs.vlaamsparlement.be](https://docs.vlaamsparlement.be/pfile?id=2123643))
- The Flemish government subsequently reported that padel infrastructure grew another **6% during 2025**, but its published text does not provide the resulting exact court total.[5] ([vlaanderen.be](https://www.vlaanderen.be/statistiek-vlaanderen/sport/sportinfrastructuur))

### Belgium as a whole

- The FIP’s October 2025 estimate was **2,150 courts across 561 clubs**, serving an estimated 480,000 amateur players.[6] ([padelfip.com](https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP-WPR-2025_DIGITAL.pdf?utm_source=openai))
- I could not verify a current, consolidated Belgium-wide licensed-player total that combines the Flemish and francophone federations, so the **106,917 Flemish federation players should not be labelled as a Belgium-wide figure**.

**Growth conclusion:** player growth remains strong, but court growth is no longer running at the original boom pace. Flemish court growth declined from approximately **9.6% in 2023 to 6.0% in 2024**, and remained around **6% in 2025**, while registered player growth was still 17.35% in 2025.[3][4][5] ([tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl](https://tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-4547612.html))

## 3. Global context

The Playtomic/Strategy& *Global Padel Report 2026* counts **58,334 courts worldwide at the end of 2025**, after 7,898 courts were added during the year, representing **16% year-on-year growth**.[7] ([8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net](https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))

It classifies both **the Netherlands and Belgium as “The Sweet Spot”**: markets with relatively balanced ecosystems and stable local demand, allowing continued growth without the saturation pressure seen in post-boom markets.[7] ([8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net](https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))

A newer federation report was published by FIP on **14 October 2026** and reports more than **91,200 courts worldwide**, up 20.4%.[8] ([padelfip.com](https://www.padelfip.com/2026/10/fip-world-padel-report-2026-is-online-more-than-40-million-players-courts-up-by-20-and-a-new-study-on-economic-impact-e8-6-billion-in-gdp/)) The FIP and Playtomic totals use different reference periods and methodologies, so the investor deck should identify the publisher and date rather than combining them.[7][8] ([8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net](https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))

## 4. Who plays in the Netherlands

Among KNLTB-registered players, the gender split has stabilised at approximately **65% men and 35% women**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

The largest age group is **25–34 years**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

## 5. Olympic angle

The premise in the brief is incorrect: **padel has not been added to the LA28 Olympic programme**.[9][10] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/games-plan.html?utm_source=openai))

The five additional LA28 sports approved by the IOC were baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash; padel was not among them.[10] ([newsroom.olympics.com](https://newsroom.olympics.com/record/1285?utm_source=openai)) Consequently, there are **no Olympic padel competition or qualification dates for 2028**.

The broader LA28 dates are:

- **Opening Ceremony:** 14 July 2028.[11] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html?utm_source=openai))
- **Olympic Games:** 14–30 July 2028.[11] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html?utm_source=openai))
- **Paralympic Games:** 15–27 August 2028.[11] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html?utm_source=openai))

Kroon should not describe its campaign, products or athletes as connected to “Olympic padel” unless the programme changes officially.

## 6. Equipment market

I could not locate or verify a Deloitte publication titled *Benelux Padel Outlook 2026*, nor could I substantiate the claimed **€212 million Dutch equipment market**. Therefore, **no valid page number can be supplied and the figure should not enter the investor deck**.

The relevant Deloitte publication I could verify is the 2023 *Global Padel Report*, produced with Playtomic; it discussed an approximately €2 billion global ecosystem and projected a €6 billion global industry by 2026, not a €212 million Dutch equipment market.[12] ([deloitte.com](https://www.deloitte.com/es/es/services/consulting/analysis/global-padel-report.html?utm_source=openai))

## 7. Racket-brand market shares

I found **no public, auditable source for 2025 Dutch racket unit or revenue shares** for Bullpadel, Head, Adidas, Babolat, Nox or other brands.

The KNLTB/EY report covers participation, demographics and infrastructure but not equipment sell-through by brand.[1] The Playtomic/Strategy& report discusses global equipment growth but does not publish 2025 Netherlands brand shares.[7] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

These shares therefore **cannot be verified and should not be estimated from webshop assortments, search popularity, professional-player sponsorships or anecdotal club visibility**.

## 8. Two campaign implications

1. **Lead with the 25–34 audience, but use inclusive creative.** This is the largest registered age segment, while women already represent 35% of registered Dutch players; a men-only positioning would unnecessarily narrow the addressable audience.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

2. **Position Kroon as a credible new brand for a maturing but still-expanding market—not as an Olympic brand.** The Netherlands and Belgium remain growing “Sweet Spot” markets, but the Olympic claim is factually unavailable; club trials, venue partnerships and product demonstrations offer a defensible launch platform grounded in actual participation and court growth.[1][3][7][9] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))

## Sources

[1] KNLTB/EY, *Padel in Cijfers 2025*:  
https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf

[2] KNLTB, “KNLTB en EY presenteren tweede editie Padel in Cijfers”:  
https://www.knltb.nl/nieuws/2026/03/knltb-en-ey-presenteren-tweede-editie-padel-in-cijfers/

[3] Tennis en Padel Vlaanderen, “Recordjaar voor Tennis en Padel Vlaanderen”:  
https://tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-4547612.html

[4] Vlaams Parlement, written question no. 284:  
https://docs.vlaamsparlement.be/pfile?id=2123643

[5] Statistiek Vlaanderen, “Sportinfrastructuur”:  
https://www.vlaanderen.be/statistiek-vlaanderen/sport/sportinfrastructuur

[6] FIP, *World Padel Report 2025*:  
https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP-WPR-2025_DIGITAL.pdf

[7] Playtomic/Strategy&, *Global Padel Report 2026*:  
https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf

[8] FIP, “FIP World Padel Report 2026 is online”:  
https://www.padelfip.com/2026/10/fip-world-padel-report-2026-is-online-more-than-40-million-players-courts-up-by-20-and-a-new-study-on-economic-impact-e8-6-billion-in-gdp/

[9] LA28, official Games Plan and sports list:  
https://la28.org/en/games-plan.html

[10] IOC, “IOC Session approves LA28’s proposal for five additional sports”:  
https://newsroom.olympics.com/record/1285

[11] LA28, “LA28 Announces Official Games Dates”:  
https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html

[12] Deloitte, *Global Padel Report 2023*:  
https://www.deloitte.com/es/es/services/consulting/analysis/global-padel-report.html