Tennis and padel surpass football in Italy

Tennis and padel have overtaken football in Italy for the first time in terms of the number of licensed athletes, according to data from the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP) reported 1,162,477 registered members in 2024, compared to 1,123,054 for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

Rise of racket sports in Italy

The growth of racket sports in Italy has been driven by the achievements of athletes like Jannik Sinner, Jasmine Paolini, and Lorenzo Musetti, as well as efforts by FITP president Angelo Binaghi to expand infrastructure, training schools, and competition schedules. Major events such as the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup have also boosted interest in tennis.

Inclusion of padel in the figures

The CONI data includes both tennis and padel, a hybrid sport that combines elements of tennis and squash. This distinction is important because it means the numbers reflect the combined popularity of two related but distinct sports, rather than just traditional tennis alone.

French sports landscape differs

In France, football remains significantly ahead of tennis in terms of licensed athletes. As of August 31, 2026, the French Football Federation (FFF) recorded 2,321,941 licenses, compared to 1,289,104 for the French Tennis Federation (FFT). Despite a 4.92 percent increase in tennis licenses between 2025 and 2026, football still held a lead of more than a million licenses.

French tennis growth and challenges

French tennis saw a 4.92 percent rise in licensed athletes from 2025 to 2026, but football experienced a 2.4 percent decline during the same period. Despite this, French tennis remains the leading individual sport in the country by the number of licensed athletes.