Aston University is bringing three new padel courts to Birmingham city centre

Aston University is set to open Birmingham’s most centrally located padel facility, bringing one of the fastest-growing sports in the world straight to the centre of the city.

The Padel Loft Aston, opening in May 2026, will feature three brand-new courts on the university campus, providing access for students, staff, and the wider public.

Padel, a hybrid of tennis and squash played on an enclosed glass-walled court, has its roots in Mexico and Spain and is rapidly gaining popularity across the UK. The sport saw participation more than treble in 2025, according to the LTA Padel, alongside a surge in public awareness.

Located just a 10-minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station, the facility will serve as both a hub for university life and a community space. The centre will be operated by The Padel Loft, a company co-founded to expand access to the sport for students and local residents alike.

via Unsplash

Richard Billingham, Aston University’s chief operating officer, said: “We are delighted to partner with The Padel Loft to bring this exciting and rapidly growing sport to Aston University.

“It will provide opportunities for our students and staff and the public to stay active and connect through sport.

“It will be an important part of campus life and is a visible statement of our commitment to the creation of the Birmingham Innovation Precinct, part of the wider Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, as a place in the heart of the city that brings together people to work, play and live.

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“One of our 2030 strategy aims is to be recognised as the best place to work and collaborate, bound together by our shared values and commitment to the greater good.

“This new facility will help us realise our role integrated within the city centre. With its accessible and social nature, the facility will become a popular destination for both our university community and the wider Birmingham public.”

Vova Semenyaka, co-founder of The Padel Loft Aston, added: “We founded The Padel Loft with a clear mission: to work with universities to make padel more accessible and affordable for students while also creating welcoming facilities for the wider community.

“Aston University is the perfect partner for this vision. Its central location and forward-thinking approach to student experience make it an ideal home for Birmingham’s most central padel facility.

“Padel is an incredibly social and inclusive sport that is easy to learn but difficult to put down once you start playing. We’re excited to introduce it to thousands of students and local residents who may be discovering the sport for the first time.”

The Padel Loft Aston promises to become a key destination for the university and city community alike, merging sport, social life, and urban accessibility in central Birmingham.

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Featured image via Unsplash