Key Takeaways
- A new padel court opened at the University of Pristina’s Faculty of Physical Education and Sport to coincide with the 2026/2027 academic year.
- Advance figures from the FIP World Padel Report 2026 put Kosovo at 16 clubs, 40 courts, and 9,000 players, with participation having tripled annually since 2024.
- Kosovo strengthened its presence in competitive padel during 2026, staging the FIP Bronze Prishtina and sending 8 players to the Taranto Mediterranean Games before Pristina hosts the 2030 edition.
Kosovo’s largest university opens new padel court
A newly inaugurated court at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport has brought padel to the University of Pristina. Opened for the start of the 2026/2027 academic year, the facility joins the recreational and sporting amenities offered to the community at Kosovo’s largest and most prominent higher education institution.
As part of wider work to expand and upgrade spaces for teaching, research, creativity, and sport, the university has added the new court. The institution welcomed 5,663 new undergraduate students, 2,423 master’s students, and 61 doctoral candidates for this academic cycle, giving thousands of young people the opportunity to play padel on campus.
Amateur padel participation surges across Kosovo
Figures previewed from the FIP World Padel Report 2026 underline the sport’s continuing rise in Kosovo, which now has 16 clubs, 40 courts, and around 9,000 amateur players. Participation has tripled every year since 2024, and padel’s introduction at the university reflects that rapid recent expansion.
| Year | FIP report source | Amateur players |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | FIP World Padel Report 2024 | 1,000 |
| 2025 | FIP data | 3,000 |
| 2026 | FIP World Padel Report 2026 preview | 9,000 |
The international stage and Pristina’s path to 2030
Kosovo’s domestic growth was also reflected in international competition during 2026. Pristina hosted the FIP Bronze Prishtina, its first CUPRA FIP Tour tournament, while Kosovo selected an eight-player squad for the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games, where padel made its historic debut on the program.
Further significant steps are expected in the years ahead, with Pristina due to stage the next Mediterranean Games in 2030 and therefore having a longer period in which to develop padel. Adding a court at Kosovo’s foremost academic institution also highlights the sport’s social, inclusive, and community-building role as its competitive profile grows.
