When most people tout the growth of padel in the U.S., they generally talk in quantitative terms…
For example, they might cite the fact that the number of padel courts in the U.S. has grown from just a few dozen prior to 2020 to well over 900 today… or that the number of courts in the U.S. grew by 85% in 2025 alone… or even that there are now padel clubs in 33 different states.
But as impressive as those growth numbers are, something recently happened on the qualitative side of the things that I think could be an even more significant indicator of padel’s momentum in the U.S.
Namely, Abigail McCulloch, the founder of Alma Padel outside Chicago, was just named to the 2026 Forbes “30 Under 30” for Sports.
While this is obviously a major achievement in its own right, the company she is among on this list really tells the story and includes the likes of:
Women’s pro tennis phenom and two time Grand Slam champion, Coco Gauff…
NFL standouts, Superbowl Champions, and potential future Hall of Famers like Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Saquon Barkley…
Numerous other pro athletes, entrepreneurs, and visionaries from across the sports ecosystem in the U.S. — including the NBA and WNBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball…
Granted, it will take a whole lot more time, effort, and investment for padel to ever become remotely as popular in the U.S. as sports like football, basketball, baseball, or even tennis, but the fact that someone from the U.S. padel world was included on this list seems to be proof positive that the sport is gaining a foothold here in the States.
Agree? Disagree? Have another U.S. padel pioneer you think should have also been considered for this honor? Please feel free let me know in the comment section below.
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