The finals of a new national amateur padel championship will be played at PadelXpo, Raccoon Media Group’s new consumer show for the sport, at the NEC Birmingham in June 2027.
The UK National Amateur Padel Championship (UKNAPC) starts in January. Its organisers aim to involve more than 25,000 players from up to 256 clubs across eight regions. The four national finals, for men’s and women’s pairs across two ability levels, will take place on PadelXpo’s 2,000-seat show court on Sunday 6 June.
Stages of the championship and entry cost
The championship runs in three stages. Club qualifiers in January and February are played in round-robin groups of four. The winners go through to eight regional competitions in March and April, and regional champions then meet in Birmingham for the finals weekend on 5-6 June. Entry costs £20 per player for the whole competition.
UKNAPC ambassador Ben Burgess said: “What could be more aspirational than to become a UK National Champion and play in front of 2,000 people!”
A fast-growing sport
According to the Lawn Tennis Association, 1.5 million adults and juniors now play padel in Britain, up from 15,000 in 2019. There are 2,445 courts at 682 venues.
Raccoon Media Group announced PadelXpo in June, with more than 200 exhibiting brands planned for the first edition.
Mike Seaman, group CEO of Raccoon Media Group, said: “Hosting the national finals at PadelXpo will bring an exciting new dimension to the show, giving amateur players the opportunity to compete on a major stage and allowing visitors to experience the passion, talent and competitive spirit that make padel so special.”
