Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most influential figures in world football, has decided to take his relationship with padel one step further with an investment of 5 million euros in a padel club.
Where will Cristiano Ronaldo’s padel club be located?
Cristiano Ronaldo will finance the construction of a modern padel club in Oeiras, a town in the district of Lisbon with a population of over 100,000. The project will have 17 courts, 11 of which will be indoors, and a central court with a capacity for 2,000 spectators.
It will also have a 500-space car park, as well as other facilities such as a restaurant and a gym.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s padel club, which will be called ‘Cidade do Padel’ (City of Padel), will cover an area of 17,000 square metres, with the aim of promoting the growth of padel in Portugal.
However, this will not be Cristiano Ronaldo’s first foray into padel, as the player acquired 100% of the shares in the Lisboa Racket Centre, the most prestigious racket club in the Portuguese capital, thus consolidating his entry into the world of padel as an entrepreneur.
As for his new padel club in Oeiras, it is scheduled to open this year and is expected to host tournaments on the Premier Padel circuit in the coming seasons.
A centre of reference for padel in Portugal
The project, backed by the Portuguese Padel Federation, seeks to strengthen the country’s sports infrastructure and position Portugal as a benchmark for padel in Europe. Work is expected to begin in the short term and the complex is due to open in 2025.
Ronaldo’s interest in padel is nothing new. In recent months, he has become increasingly involved in the sport, attending tournaments and spending time with professional players. At the recent Premier Pádel Riyadh Season P1, the Al Nassr striker was not only present in the box, but also broadcast the finals live on his YouTube channel, where he acted as a commentator.
Ronaldo, close to the best players in the world
During his presence at the tournament in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano met with the three Portuguese representatives in the main draw: Miguel and Nuno Deus, as well as Sofia Araújo, one of the best players in the world, currently in the top 10 of the women’s ranking.
But his relationship with padel goes beyond his role as a spectator. In September 2024, the Portuguese had the opportunity to share a court with Arturo Coello, the world number 1, with whom he played a training match and received advice on the game.
With this investment, Cristiano Ronaldo reaffirms his commitment to sport and seeks to leave a mark on padel, a booming sport that is gaining more and more followers in Portugal and around the world.
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