Short answer: no. Not in the way tennis has one.
There is no national padel dress code in the UK. No rule says white. No rule says collars. Most clubs ask for two things: sports clothes, and the right shoes. That's about it for social play.
Tournaments add a little. The pro tour adds a lot. Below is how it stacks up, using the exact wording clubs and governing bodies publish.
Padel vs tennis vs the rest: one club, six dress codes
The cleanest way to see how relaxed padel is? Look at a club that runs lots of sports and writes a rule for each one.
Roehampton Club in south west London does exactly that. Here's what its visitor page asks for, sport by sport:
| Where | What Roehampton Club asks for |
|---|---|
| Padel | "Sports clothing and footwear." |
| Tennis | Tennis clothing, with tops at least 90% white |
| Squash | Sports clothing, plus non-marking, clear-soled squash shoes only |
| Croquet | Flat shoes always, and white clothes on Club Days and at summer matches |
| Golf | A long list. No tee shirts or tracksuits for men, tailored shorts no shorter than mid-thigh, golf shoes only on the course |
| Anywhere on club premises | Smart casual |
Read that again. Same club, same members. The tennis courts want you in white. Even the croquet lawn wants white on match days. The padel courts want sports kit. Any colour. Any brand.
My guess is that padel is still new enough here that nobody has written the old-fashioned rules yet. Long may that last.
What UK clubs actually write in their rules
When a padel venue does have a clothing rule, it tends to be one line. A few real examples:
- Roehampton Club: "Sports clothing and footwear."
- Four Oaks Tennis Club: "Proper tennis/padel clothing and footwear must be worn" and "Tops must be worn at all times."
- Padel United Erith: "Suitable footwear is required when using the courts."
Notice the pattern. The shirt barely gets a mention. The shoes always do.
So "sports clothing" means shorts, leggings, joggers or a skirt you can move in, plus a top that stays on. Leave the jeans at home. Nobody is checking your logo or your colour.
The one thing clubs enforce: your shoes
If a club is going to turn you away for anything, it's footwear. And the wording is often vague on purpose.
Padel United Erith says "suitable footwear" and then tells you to check online for the right padel shoes. It doesn't spell out what counts. Compare that with Roehampton's squash rule, which names the exact sole: non-marking and clear. Padel rules rarely get that specific, so you're expected to know.
The LTA's padel kit guide fills the gap. It says courts are textured, recommends herringbone soles on artificial turf or clay, and non-marking soles on indoor courts. Treat that as the safe reading of "suitable footwear" wherever you book.
If you're playing somewhere new, check the venue's booking page before you go. That's where any house rule will be.
Socks don't get a rule anywhere, but they're the bit of kit we do make for the court. Our grip socks are £14 a pair, and we also do overgrips in 3 and 6 packs.
Social, club, tournament, pro: how the rules change
Here's the real comparison. The higher you go, the more rules appear. But even at the top, padel is looser than tennis.
Social games and Playtomic bookings
No dress code beyond the venue's own rule. Sports clothes, proper shoes, top on.
Club leagues and box leagues
Same as social, unless your club says otherwise. If your team turns up in matching shirts, that's team spirit, not a rule.
LTA padel tournaments
LTA padel tournaments run from Grade 1 to Grade 5, under the Rules of Padel Tennis and the LTA Competition Regulations. That's from the LTA's own referee and organiser guide.
The interesting part is what happened to the clothing rules. The LTA's summary of its 2025 Competition Regulations says the old clothing rules, which set size limits on manufacturer and commercial logos, were removed. The stated reason was to make competition more accessible by removing barriers. The same summary says it is proposed that players can wear whatever they like, provided it is appropriate and doesn't cause offence.
So even in ranked UK competition, there's no colour rule and no white rule. Sensible sports kit and proper shoes will do.
The pro tour
This is the only level with a real dress code. The Premier Padel rulebook (section 6.1.2 in the men's version published on the FIP's site) says:
- Players can wear their own apparel, including a sports cap.
- They must present themselves in a professional manner, and the referee or supervisor can ask them to change.
- Both players in a pair must wear the same colour. If both pairs walk out in the same colour, the lower ranked pair has to change.
- Rings, or anything else that could injure someone, are strictly banned on court.
- Shirts can't carry logos for another padel circuit or event unless approved.
- Names on shirts should use a similar font and size for both partners.
That matching colour rule is why pro pairs always look like a set.
Padelism is not affiliated with Premier Padel or the FIP.
What this means for you
If you're playing in the UK at any level below the pro tour, here's the full checklist:
- Sports clothes you can move in.
- Top on, all the time.
- Proper padel or court shoes. Non-marking if indoors.
- Rings off. The pros have to, and glass walls plus a swinging racket are a bad mix with jewellery.
- Check your venue's booking page for anything extra.
Nobody at your local club cares if your shorts match your shirt.
The only other dress code you'll meet: the clubhouse
Here's the twist. The strictest clothing rule at Roehampton isn't on any court. It's the smart casual rule that covers the whole club, bar and dining room included.
Most padel venues have no such rule. But plenty have somewhere to sit after. Rocket Padel Ilford lists a bistro and bar, for one. That's where you spend the hour after the match, and it's the one place damp kit looks out of place.
That's the bit we make clothes for. A Mk1 Box Hoodie (350 g/m2, fleeced inside) over your kit on the way in and out. Fleece joggers to change into. A heavyweight tee to swap in before you sit down. Our tees are 305 g/m2 cotton: right for the bar, too heavy for 90 minutes of running in August. Play in your tech kit, change into ours.
And if your pair fancies borrowing the pro rule for the night, two tees in the same colour come to £90 in the 2 for £90 range, applied at checkout.
Not sure on fit? Our tees and the Mk1 hoodie are both cut oversized. With a tee, size down for a regular fit or keep your usual size for the oversized look, and check the size guide first.
FAQ
Do you have to wear white to play padel? No. Unlike tennis, UK padel clubs don't ask for white. Roehampton Club, for example, wants tennis tops at least 90% white but only asks for "sports clothing and footwear" on padel courts.
Can I play padel with my top off? Not at most clubs. Four Oaks Tennis Club, for one, writes "Tops must be worn at all times" into its court rules. Even where it isn't written down, keep it on.
Is there a dress code for LTA padel tournaments? Not a strict one. The LTA's summary of its 2025 regulations says the old logo-size clothing rules were removed, with the aim that players can wear what they like as long as it's appropriate and not offensive.
Why do pro padel pairs always match? The Premier Padel rulebook requires both players in a pair to wear the same colour. If both pairs clash, the lower ranked pair changes.
Can I wear jewellery playing padel? Pros can't play in rings under the Premier Padel rules, for safety. At club level it's rarely written down, but take rings and loose jewellery off. Glass walls and rackets make it risky.
