Mike Penders was born on 31 July 2005 in Belgium and developed through the academies of Boorsem Sport and Bregel Sport before joining Genk's youth setup in 2018. He steadily progressed through the club's ranks, signing his first professional contract in 2021 and eventually captaining the reserve side Jong Genk during the 2023–24 season.
Penders made his senior debut for Genk on 28 July 2024 in a 0–0 Belgian Pro League draw against Standard Liège, stepping up following the departure of Maarten Vandevoordt and an injury to Hendrik Van Crombrugge. At 18 years and 363 days old at the time, he became the third youngest goalkeeper to debut in the history of the Belgian Pro League — a notable milestone for a player still at the very start of his career.
A composed, shot-stopping goalkeeper who reads the game maturely for his age, Penders attracted the attention of Chelsea, who announced his signing in August 2024 ahead of a formal move in the summer of 2025. He has since added a FIFA Club World Cup winner's medal to his honours, claimed with Chelsea in 2025.
For the 2025–26 season, Chelsea sent Penders out on a season-long loan to Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, giving him the opportunity to build regular first-team experience at a high level. On the international stage, he has represented Belgium at youth level, captaining the under-19 side in 2023, though he is yet to earn a senior cap.