Heineken x Playtomic x Padel: How Social Sport Sponsorship Is Being Rewritten

How Heineken and Playtomic Are Reframing Sports Sponsorship Through Padel

Padel has quietly become one of the fastest growing sports in the world, but its appeal goes beyond competition. At its core, padel is social, accessible and built around connection. That cultural positioning is exactly what has drawn Heineken 0.0 into a multi-year partnership with Playtomic, the world’s largest racket sports community.

Rather than focusing on elite tournaments alone, the partnership is designed to span every level of the sport, from grassroots players booking courts with friends to professionals competing on an international stage. It reflects a broader shift in sports marketing where brands are prioritising participation, lifestyle and community over traditional sponsorship visibility.

A Platform Built Around People, Not Just Matches

Playtomic operates across 66 countries and connects millions of players through its booking and matchmaking platform. This gives Heineken 0.0 direct access to an audience that already sees sport as a social experience rather than a solitary pursuit.

Central to the partnership is the introduction of Open Matches by Heineken 0.0. This feature builds on Playtomic’s existing matchmaking functionality, but with an added emphasis on bringing together players who have never met before. The aim is to turn a padel match into a shared social moment that continues beyond the court.

Participants are encouraged to connect before, during and after games, with thoughtful touches designed to make the experience feel memorable rather than transactional. The presence of Heineken 0.0 reinforces the idea that socialising does not have to revolve around alcohol, aligning with changing attitudes towards drinking and wellbeing.

Launching in Barcelona, Built for Global Scale

The partnership launches in December with a public facing activation in Barcelona, including a pop up padel court at Moll de Barcelona. The choice of location is deliberate. Barcelona is deeply embedded in padel culture and acts as a gateway for the sport’s wider European and global growth.

This launch moment is not positioned as a one-off stunt, but as the starting point for a longer-term strategy. By embedding itself into Playtomic’s ecosystem, Heineken 0.0 can show up wherever padel is played, creating consistency across markets while allowing experiences to feel local and authentic.

Why Padel Fits the Heineken 0.0 Brand

Research consistently shows that a large majority of padel players cite socialising and enjoyment as their primary motivation for playing. Matches often naturally extend into time spent together off the court, making the sport a natural fit for a brand that has long positioned itself around shared moments.

Heineken 0.0’s involvement strengthens its existing padel sponsorship portfolio and allows it to engage audiences without relying on traditional alcohol led messaging. The focus is on quality time, inclusivity and connection, values that resonate strongly with modern sports audiences.

A Sign of Where Sports Marketing Is Heading

This partnership highlights a wider shift in how brands approach sport. Rather than simply sponsoring visibility, Heineken 0.0 and Playtomic are building experiences that feel useful, enjoyable and culturally relevant to the people taking part.

Padel’s growth shows no signs of slowing, but its real value to brands lies in how it brings people together. By tapping into that social energy, this collaboration demonstrates how sports sponsorship can move beyond logos and naming rights to become part of how communities play, meet and connect.