Padel court dimensions, explained
A padel court is small, enclosed and very precisely defined. Knowing its measurements helps you understand the game: why the service box is where it is, why lobs work, and why some smashes leave the court. Here are the official numbers from the International Padel Federation (FIP), explained in plain English.
The key numbers at a glance
| Element | Official measurement |
|---|---|
| Playing area | 20 m long × 10 m wide (inside measurements) |
| Service lines | 6.95 m from the net on each side |
| Net height | 0.88 m in the centre, 0.92 m at the ends |
| Net length | 10 m |
| Back walls | 4 m in total: 3 m of wall plus 1 m of metal mesh |
| Minimum clear height | 6 m above the whole court (8 m suggested for new venues) |
The FIP allows a tolerance of 0.5% on the court's length and width, so every official court around the world plays essentially the same.
The lines
A padel court has very few lines. There's no baseline or sideline to call: the walls are the boundaries. What you do have:
- The net, dividing the court into two 10 × 10 m halves.
- The service lines, parallel to the net and 6.95 m from it on each side. That leaves about 3 m between the service line and the back wall.
- The central service line, running from the net to the service line and splitting that area into two service boxes. The FIP says it should extend at least 20 cm beyond the service line.
The lines only matter on the serve. During the rally, the ball can land anywhere in the opponents' half. See our serve and return guide for how the service boxes are used.
The net
The padel net is 10 m long and slightly lower in the middle: 88 cm at the centre, rising to 92 cm at the ends. The posts may be up to 1.05 m tall. Because the centre is lowest, a ball hit through the middle has a little more room to clear the net, one reason so many rallies are played there.
For comparison, a tennis net is 0.914 m (3 feet) in the centre, so the padel net is slightly lower.
The walls
The enclosure is what makes padel padel. The FIP rules describe it in detail.
Back walls
Each end of the court has a back wall 4 m high in total: the lower 3 m is solid wall (usually glass), and the top 1 m is metal mesh. Balls that bounce and then hit the back wall stay in play, which is why learning to play off the back glass is such a big part of the game.
Side walls
The FIP allows two layouts for the sides:
- Stepped walls: at each end, a first section 3 m high and 2 m long, then a second section 2 m high and 2 m long. Metal mesh completes the enclosure.
- Straight "crystal" walls: a 3 m high, 4 m long wall section at each end, with no step.
Metal mesh fills the rest of the sides. With stepped walls, it reaches 3 m in the central 6 m of the court and 4 m at both ends; with straight walls, it reaches 4 m over the outermost 2 m at each end. The mesh openings must be between 5 and 7.08 cm diagonally.
The difference matters during play. The ball bounces predictably off glass, but mesh absorbs speed and gives an irregular rebound. Many players aim at the mesh deliberately for exactly that reason.
The doors
Courts have openings in the side walls so players can get in and out, and in some formats, play the ball outside the court. The FIP sets sizes for courts with one opening per side (between 1.05 × 2.0 m and 2.20 × 2.20 m) and with two openings per side (between 0.72 × 2.0 m and 1.10 × 2.20 m).
Outside the court, a safety area must be free of obstacles if players are allowed to leave the court during a point. That's what makes the dramatic "out-of-court" recoveries possible. Read more in our smash guide, which covers the por tres and por cuatro.
Height and lighting
Lobs are a core part of padel, so the space above the court matters. The FIP requires at least 6 m of clear height across the whole court, with no lights or beams in the way, and suggests 8 m for new facilities. Light poles must stand outside the court, lights must be at least 6 m above the ground, and the light must be even and must not impair players' vision. For outdoor courts, the FIP recommends a north–south orientation so the low sun doesn't shine straight into players' eyes.
The playing surface
The rules allow cement, synthetic materials or artificial grass, as long as the bounce is regular. The surface must be one colour: green, blue or terracotta. Most clubs today use sand-filled artificial grass, which affects the kind of shoes you need. See our guide to padel shoes.
Padel vs tennis vs pickleball courts
| Padel | Tennis (doubles) | Pickleball | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 20 × 10 m | 23.77 × 10.97 m | 44 × 20 ft (about 13.4 × 6.1 m) |
| Walls | Yes, in play | No | No |
| Net (centre) | 0.88 m | 0.914 m | 34 in (about 0.86 m) |
Depending on the layout, two or three padel courts can fit into the space of one tennis court with its run-off areas, which is one reason padel courts are popping up so quickly. More on the differences in padel vs pickleball.
The ball and racket, too
The FIP also defines the equipment. A padel ball measures 6.35 to 6.77 cm in diameter and weighs 56.0 to 59.4 g. Dropped from 2.54 m onto a hard surface, a new ball must bounce between 135 and 145 cm. Rackets may be at most 45.5 cm long and 38 mm thick, with a compulsory wrist strap. Our racket guide explains what those specs mean in practice.
Building your own court?
If you're planning a court at home or for a club, use the official FIP rulebook and the specifications from a reputable court builder, not just the summary above. Things like glass certification, drainage and the safety area outside the court have their own requirements.