Padel, a racket sport that’s essentially a hybrid between tennis and squash, is seeing explosive growth in North America
The Rafa Nadal Academy, the training center founded by tennis legend Rafa Nadal, is bringing its Padel Tour to the United States.
After establishing the amateur circuit in Spain, where two editions have already been completed, and expanding into Italy, the Academy is now launching four U.S. events in 2026 in partnership with Playtomic, the global racket sports booking and community platform.
The move marks a significant step in the circuit’s broader internationalization strategy amid the rapid growth of padel, a racket sport that’s essentially a hybrid between tennis and squash, in North America.
The 2026 U.S. calendar will feature four tournament stops. The tour kicks off March 13–15 in Miami at Padel X, followed by April 24–26 in Austin at Padel 39. It returns to Miami May 8–10 at Ultra Padel Miami before concluding at Reserve New York in Manhattan.
The expansion positions the Academy’s amateur tour within some of the most active and emerging padel hubs in the country. Miami in particular has become a focal point for the sport’s U.S. growth, while Austin and New York represent other emerging markets.
Playtomic, which operates the largest global community of racket sport players and clubs through its booking and matchmaking app, will serve as a key partner in facilitating participation and player engagement.
The partnership gives the tour built-in digital infrastructure for court booking, tournament organization and player connection, helping streamline the experience for amateur participants in a market where demand is rising quickly.
Maribel Nadal, Deputy General Manager of the Rafa Nadal Academy, framed the U.S. launch as a natural next step following the circuit’s European momentum.
“After the great reception we’ve had in Spain and the start of the circuit in Italy, taking the leap to the United States is a very important step for us,” Nadal said. “Padel is growing spectacularly in this market and doing this with a strategic partner like Playtomic allows us to continue bringing our methodology, our values, and our approach to competition to new players and new communities.”
The tour will continue across major Spanish cities in 2026, including Santander, Madrid, Cadiz, Valladolid, Estepona, Seville, Valencia and Gijon, before concluding at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca. The Italian circuit will also culminate in Mallorca after stops in Rome, Turin, Perugia, Bari, Bergamo and Florence.
