It was in Madrid, in May 2024, that a few team members decided to meet after work to play padel. Nothing formal, nothing planned long-term. Just a way to disconnect, move a bit, and enjoy time together outside the office.
Week after week, more people joined. What was initially a small group quickly became a habit. Then a tradition.
There was no pressure, no expectations — just games, laughs, and the simple pleasure of playing together.
“At first, it was just a few of us. Then suddenly, everyone wanted to be part of it.”
Without really noticing, something important was happening. People from different teams, roles, and backgrounds were connecting in a new way.
As participation grew, the games naturally became more structured. The weekly matches turned into a padel league in Madrid, where everyone could play regularly, regardless of their level.
But what made it work was never the competition itself. It was the atmosphere.
On the court, hierarchies disappeared. You played with someone you might not usually work with. You adapted. You communicated. You relied on each other.
In many ways, it felt familiar.
Because this is exactly how Ekkiden works.
Not as individuals performing separately, but as people moving forward together: adjusting, supporting, and building something collectively.
At some point, the group decided to go a bit further.
A logo was created.
T-shirts followed.
A few goodies here and there.
It might seem like a detail, but it changed something. The initiative became more than just a weekly game — it became something people belonged to.
Wearing the same t-shirt on the court, representing the same “team”, even informally, reinforced that shared identity.
It wasn’t just about padel anymore. It was about being part of something collective.
After more than a year of weekly games in Madrid, the idea came naturally: why not bring this energy elsewhere?
In summer 2025, the first padel event was organized in Paris.
This time, it wasn’t just employees. Consultants and clients joined as well.
And something interesting happened.
The same dynamic that worked internally in Madrid worked just as well with a broader group. Conversations were easier. Connections felt more natural. The usual boundaries between roles disappeared.
“You don’t interact the same way on a padel court as you do in a meeting room.”
Padel became a different kind of meeting point. A more human one.
Following that first event, Paris hosted new tournaments in September and December 2025. Each time, more people joined. Each time, the same energy came back.
Meanwhile, Madrid kept its rhythm. The weekly league continued, and new events were added:
“What’s great is seeing people from different offices meet and instantly connect through the game.”
What started locally was now becoming something shared across offices.
If padel has taken such an important place at Ekkiden, it’s not by chance.
It reflects something essential.
You don’t play padel alone. You always play with someone. You adapt to your partner, you communicate, you cover for each other. You win, and lose, together.
It’s simple, but it says a lot.
Because at Ekkiden, it’s never about individual performance alone. It’s about how people work together, how they complement each other, and how they move forward as a team.
Padel, in its own way, is a reflection of that mindset.
Over time, padel has become more than just a sport within Ekkiden.
It’s a moment where:
It’s not something that was imposed or planned in detail. It grew because people enjoyed it, believed in it, and kept showing up.
Today, padel is part of Ekkiden’s day-to-day life in Madrid and an established event format in Paris. And it will likely continue to grow.
But what matters most is not how far it goes.
It’s what it represents.
A simple initiative that became a shared habit.
A sport that turned into a connector.
A moment that reflects how people at Ekkiden move forward, together.
And in the end, that’s probably what makes it meaningful.