Tennis and padel surpass football in Italy

For the first time, the Italian Federation of Tennis and Padel (FITP) has more licensed athletes than the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), according to data from the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). The FITP had 1,162,477 registered members in 2024, compared to 1,123,054 for football, a difference of 39,423 licensed athletes.

Growth driven by athletes and infrastructure

This shift in the sports landscape is attributed to the success of athletes like Jannik Sinner, Jasmine Paolini, and Lorenzo Musetti, along with the expansion of infrastructure, training schools, and competition schedules under FITP president Angelo Binaghi. Major events such as the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup have also boosted interest in tennis and padel.

CONI figures include both sports

It is important to note that the CONI statistics combine both tennis and padel, not just traditional tennis. This combined total has helped the FITP surpass football in the number of licensed athletes, highlighting the growing popularity of these sports in Italy.

Football still dominates in France

In France, football remains the dominant sport, with the French Football Federation (FFF) recording 2,321,941 licenses for the 2025-2026 season. This is significantly higher than the 1,289,104 licensed athletes for the French Tennis Federation (FFT) as of August 31, 2026.

French tennis sees growth but lags behind

Despite this, French tennis has shown progress, with a 4.92% increase in licensed athletes between 2025 and 2026, adding 60,393 new participants. However, football still holds a lead of more than a million licenses, even though it recorded a 2.4% decline for the season. French tennis remains the top individual sport in terms of licensed athletes.