28 school teams. 72 schools. 8 regional events. One unforgettable national final. Padel Bears was honoured to be a product sponsor of the JM Padel & PHMG National Finals 2026 - the flagship event from comedian Jason Manford's JM Padel Academy, introducing children across the UK to padel and rewarding the country's best young players with the trip of a lifetime.
What is the JM Padel Academy?
The JM Padel Academy is a non-profit organisation founded by comedian Jason Manford to introduce children to padel, regardless of background or postcode. Since launching, the academy has run schools tournaments, coaching sessions and equipment giveaways across the UK, with the goal of getting more young people onto a padel court than ever before. The National Finals is the academy's biggest event of the year, bringing together the winning teams from regional heats for one unforgettable day of competitive padel.
128 teams, 72 schools, 8 regions - one national final
The road to the National Finals started with eight regional tournaments held across the country. School teams from the following cities battled it out for their spot at the final:
Manchester . Leeds . Cardiff . Sunderland . Bristol . London . Birmingham . Wigan
From 72 schools and 128 teams, the regional winners earned their place at the National Finals - where one school would go on to win an incredible prize: a trip to Spain, courtesy of Padel Roaming
Padel Bears was proud to be part of it
We were honoured to be named a product sponsor of the JM Padel & PHMG National Finals 2026, alongside a brilliant group of partners who all share the same goal: getting more young people playing padel.
JM Padel Academy National Finals 2026 – Padel Bears Sponsor Wall
Pablos Tip
"Supporting grassroots Padel isn't just good for the sport - it's the whole reason Padel Bears exists. Every young player who picks up a racket for the first time is exactly who we build this brand for."
Sportsmanship Over Scorelines
The standard of padel on the day was excellent - but it was the energy, sportsmanship and support shown by every player, coach and school that really stood out. Every part of the day was built around opportunity, teamwork and courage, giving young people unforgettable experiences through padel - exactly what Jason Manford and his academy set out to achieve when they founded the JM Padel Academy.
Young Padel Players With Padel Bears Prizes – National Finals 2026
A massive thank you to every school, partner, sponsor, coach, volunteer and supporter who helped bring the Nationals to life. This year has been a year in the making, and seeing it all come together with so many smiling faces made every bit of work worth it — this is only the beginning.
— Jason Manford, Founder, JM Padel Academy
Why This Matters To Us
At Padel Bears, we believe padel should feel welcoming, not intimidating — for players of every age and every level. That's exactly what the JM Padel Academy is building, one school and one region at a time. Being part of the National Finals as a product sponsor was a genuine privilege, and we can't wait to see where the academy takes the tournament next year.
Want to get your own young player started in padel? Browse Pablo's junior padel racket collection - lightweight, grippy and built for confidence on court from day one.
What is the JM Padel Academy National Finals?
The JM Padel Academy National Finals is the flagship schools padel tournament run by Jason Manford's JM Padel Academy. In 2026, 128 teams from 72 schools competed across 8 regional events before the winning teams met at one national final, with the winning school earning a trip to Spain courtesy of Padel Roaming.
Who founded the JM Padel Academy?
The JM Padel Academy was founded by comedian Jason Manford as a non-profit organisation dedicated to introducing children across the UK to padel, regardless of background.
Who won the JM Padel & PHMG National Finals 2026?
Whitley Bay were crowned National Champions at the 2026 finals and won a trip to Spain courtesy of Padel Roaming.
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