College Padel League Launches National Competition in the US
The Pro Padel League and five major US padel club operators have launched the College Padel League (CPL), a national collegiate competition. The league aims to provide a structured platform for college students to play and compete in padel.
The launch follows new data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association's mid-year 2026 report, which identified padel as America's fastest-growing sport. Participation grew by 14.5% over the 12 months ending in June 2026, surpassing pickleball.
"The arrival of the CPL is a milestone for collegiate sport in the United States, and for student padel globally," said CPL CEO Ryan Durishin. "By bringing together five heavyweight operators across ten cities, we tackled the biggest issue facing the sport in America: readily accessible courts."
CPL Structure and Operator Network
A central focus of the CPL is removing the barrier of court access and cost for college students. Because few US campuses have padel courts, universities will pair with the nearest CPL operator partner for subsidized court time and coaching. Participation costs are fully covered at launch.
The five founding operators, all equity partners in the league, include:
Ultra Padel (Miami)
Padel 39 (Austin, Dallas)
Epic Padel (Charlotte, Milwaukee, Richmond)
Padel N9ne (San Diego)
Bay Padel (San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles)
At launch, the network covers over 20 institutions across multiple regions, with a goal of reaching more than 40 universities by the end of Season One.
Inaugural Playoffs in Miami
Season One will conclude with the inaugural CPL Playoffs in Miami from Dec. 3 to 5, 2026. The three-day championship will run alongside the Pro Padel League Finals, which will host the CPL’s championship match. Up to 20 college teams will compete for a $20,000 prize pool, part of a total player value package worth roughly $185,000 across travel, accommodations, and prize money.
Registered players will earn official World Padel Rating (WPR) points and will be eligible for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities through the CPL's sponsor network.