Playskan at the UK Padel Convention 2026

On Wednesday 4 November we spent the day at the UK Padel Convention in Gloucester. It was a great day, and a good reminder of how fast this industry is moving.

What stood out most was the enthusiasm in the room. And alongside it, a real sense of care for the long-term health of the game: how clubs stay sustainable, and how padel keeps growing in the right way.

Clients, old and new

Most of our day went on conversations. We caught up with Charlie from Connect Padel, as well as the teams at Padel Plan, Soul Padel and UK Padel, and met a lot of people from across the industry: club owners, developers, investors and coaches.

Charlie was one of our very first clients, and it's always a pleasure to see him. He's one of the nicest people in the industry: always positive, and someone who simply loves the game. It shows in Connect Padel, the brilliant club he runs in Birmingham.

The next million players

We also listened to some of the panels, including one with Steve Yeardley from the LTA and pro player Nikhil Mohindra. Steve and Nikhil spoke about inclusivity and where the next million players will come from: training juniors, and getting more women and over-60s on court. These are some of the most important questions in UK padel right now.

Nikhil doesn't just talk about it: he also runs The Padel Foundation. Players like him, who love the game and want to give something back, are a real inspiration.

Padel for Movember

The next day we joined forces with Risk HQ for a charity padel tournament at the same venue, The Padel Club at Gloucester Quays, raising money for Movember. More time with people from the industry, and padel for a good cause.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a chat. If we didn't get to meet, you can explore UK padel at playskan.com/insights.