ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The UAE offers a wide variety of options for sport fans of all age groups and skill levels, available conveniently to meet their requirements. Padel tennis has quickly gained popularity in the UAE, offering participants a fun and competitive experience.
Fans of this sport can enjoy it in outdoor courts during the World’s Coolest Winter, thanks to the UAE’s mild weather – a key attraction for domestic and foreign visitors.
Quick to support and facilitate the spread of padel as a popular sport, the UAE has launched the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA), which organizes padel competitions and hosts world championships and famous players. In 2022, the UAE hosted the bi-annual World Padel Championship; a great platform to further expand the game’s already surging popularity across the UAE.
Great Demand
Padel first emerged in the UAE about a decade ago, and has since seen the establishment of several clubs to accommodate its fans. Padel clubs helped boost investments in this emerging sporting area thanks to the support of both public and private sectors.
UAE’s sport institutions invested in this great demand, organizing several local and international events attracting visitors and tourists from around the world, giving them a chance to follow their favorite sport as well as enjoy the country’s tourist destinations.
The UAE Padel Association follows a clear approach that aims to hold competitions and championships throughout the year to encourage more participation across all age groups. UAEPA is hosting more and more sporting events and is communicating with schools to scout emerging padel talents.
Padel Destinations
The UAE has a large number of padel courts, all fully equipped to accommodate a growing base of players, beginners and pros alike.
The Abu Dhabi Sports Club was the first to offer dedicated padel courts in Abu Dhabi, allowing players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy the game. It offers 4 outdoor and 2 indoor courts. Zayed Sports Academy offers padel coaching in some of the city’s best facilities.
Dubai is home to several padel clubs as well, including Matcha Club, Padelae as well as Central Padel, welcoming beginners of all ages. Dubai also has a women-only padel club.
The World Padel Academy offers fully equipped padel courts to host championships, while Padel Kingdom offers a dedicated women-only training program, a junior academy and a men’s championship. In the heart of Dubai Sports City, Inspiratus Sports District club offers 6 indoor and 3 outdoor padel courts, ideally equipped to host sporting events.
Outstanding Accomplishments
The UAE has already made its name padel, winning the inaugural Gulf Padel Cup Dubai 2022. The championship, organized by the UAEPA as part of the 9th annual Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, saw the participation of 6 GCC teams: UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
In early 2023, the qualification rounds of the World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master was launched for the first time in the UAE, attracting over 200 professional padel teams from across the GCC. Competitions were held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
The first ever World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master kicked off in February 2023 at Bab Al Nojoum on Hudayriat Island. 128 players took part. Ahead of the event, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council organized the Emirates Post UAE Wild Card Championship; a community event aiming to encourage participation in padel sport by offering 4 men’s teams and 3 women’s teams a chance to play against professionals during the World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master.