The French group has acquired a 33.9% stake in the German operator, with options to increase its ownership to 75% in 2028 and 100% by 2030. The transaction strengthens its strategy in urban sports and expands its presence across Germany, Austria and Poland.
The European padel centre market continues to move towards greater concentration and professionalisation among operators. One of the latest developments comes from France, where Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) has acquired an initial 33.9% stake in PadelCity, one of Germany’s leading padel centre operators.
The transaction, announced on July 28, 2026, also includes options that would allow CDA to increase its stake to approximately 75% in early 2028 and ultimately acquire 100% of the company by the end of 2030.
The investment in PadelCity follows Compagnie des Alpes’ acquisition of Urban Group in 2024 and expands the group’s strategy in urban sports, combining its activities in five-a-side football and padel.
PadelCity accelerates its expansion in Germany
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Munich, PadelCity currently operates 24 padel centres in Germany, compared with 17 at the end of 2025.
The company has an ambitious expansion pipeline. According to forecasts communicated by CDA, PadelCity plans to open 20 additional centres during 2026, reaching approximately 350 courts by the end of the year, compared with 117 courts at the end of 2025.
The expansion is not limited to Germany. PadelCity has already begun developing operations in Austria and Poland, progressively extending its presence across Central Europe.
The company is targeting annualised revenue of approximately €50 million by the end of 2026, according to the forecasts communicated by Compagnie des Alpes.
Germany: a market with significant room for development
One of the factors behind the transaction is the current state of the German market.
According to data included by Compagnie des Alpes in its announcement, Germany had approximately 1,400 padel courts at the end of 2025, equivalent to one court for every 60,000 inhabitants.
CDA compares this density with France, where there was one court for every 15,000 inhabitants, placing Germany at a level of provision four times lower.
The German market is also still highly fragmented. At the end of 2025, the five largest operators collectively accounted for around 20% of the country’s courts, while PadelCity alone represented close to 10%, according to data provided by CDA.
The company also identifies Poland as another market with development potential. According to figures included in the transaction announcement, the country had approximately one court for every 75,000 inhabitants at the end of 2025.
A €20 million initial investment
Compagnie des Alpes’ initial investment amounts to €20 million, comprising €8 million for the acquisition of existing shares and €12 million through a capital increase.
The funds raised through the capital increase will be used to finance PadelCity’s development plans over the following 18 months.
Following completion of the transaction, CDA holds 33.9% of PadelCity’s share capital and voting rights. The agreement subsequently provides for a unilateral option to acquire approximately a further 41% in early 2028, increasing its ownership to around 75%.
CDA also holds an option to acquire 100% of PadelCity by the end of 2030.
Padel and five-a-side football: a new growth platform
The transaction takes on an additional dimension when considered alongside Urban Group, an operator primarily focused on five-a-side football centres that has been part of Compagnie des Alpes since 2024.
According to the group’s forecasts, by the end of 2026 Urban will operate 43 centres, including facilities in France, Portugal and Luxembourg, representing 295 five-a-side football pitches and 155 padel courts.
The combination of the two companies will allow CDA to develop a platform of urban and suburban sports activities across France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Poland and Austria.
According to the group’s forecasts, the combined activities of Urban Group and PadelCity could generate close to €150 million in revenue in 2029, with combined IFRS EBITDA approaching €65 million.
A sign of consolidation in the European market
Beyond the specific figures of the transaction, Compagnie des Alpes’ investment in PadelCity reflects a trend that is becoming increasingly relevant across the European padel ecosystem: the emergence and expansion of professional operators managing increasingly large networks of centres, alongside the entry of established leisure and entertainment groups into the sector.
Against this backdrop, Germany remains one of the European markets where court density is still significantly lower than in some other countries, while PadelCity is using its expansion strategy to build an international network spanning several markets.
For Compagnie des Alpes, the transaction increases its exposure to recurring urban sports activities and strengthens, together with Urban Group, a strategy centred on padel and five-a-side football as regular leisure sports activities.
Source: Compagnie des Alpes — announcement published July 28, 2026.
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