MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi will host the season finale of the inaugural Hexagon World Series in October 2027, bringing some of the world's top padel players to the UAE capital as part of a new international team competition.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, where organisers unveiled the competition's first global calendar, featuring four tournaments across three continents.
Speaking to Aletihad, Enrique Buenaventura, Hexagon World Series Co-Founder and Hexagon Cup Founder, said Abu Dhabi was selected for both the global launch and season finale because of its established position as an international sporting destination and its drive to develop padel.
"Since we met with the leadership people here in Abu Dhabi, we saw it was a perfect match for many different reasons," he said.
Abu Dhabi’s commitment to growing padel at both professional and grassroots levels, particularly among younger generations, was a major factor in the decision to bring the series to the emirate, according to Buenaventura.
"That vision is what really attracted me and the whole team, and that's why we decided that Abu Dhabi was going to be a perfect match and actually a perfect season closing of the series,” he added.
Astrid Thams, Managing Director - Commercial for Hexagon World Series, agreed that Abu Dhabi's growing padel community and experience hosting major international sporting events made it a natural choice for the finale. “It's an amazing place where the grassroots and the development of the sport is being really supported and pushed,” she said.
The season will open in Madrid from January 21 to 24, followed by events in North America in March and Scandinavia in June, before concluding in Abu Dhabi from October 21 to 24.
The cities hosting the North American and Scandinavian legs have yet to be announced. The Abu Dhabi event will determine the overall winner of the 2027 Hexagon World Series, with teams accumulating points across all four tournaments.
Eight teams, one championship
The Hexagon World Series builds on the Hexagon Cup, which began as a standalone tournament in Madrid, and marks its expansion into an international competition sanctioned by the International Padel Federation (FIP).
The new series will feature eight international teams, each comprising two male and two female players, competing under a format in which results from both categories contribute equally to a single team ranking.
Unlike conventional individual and doubles competitions, the Hexagon World Series places team performance at the centre of the championship. Each tournament will consist of three days of group-stage matches followed by a final day determining all eight teams' finishing positions.
Matches will be played using a shortened super-tiebreak format designed to create faster-paced competition, with points earned at each tournament contributing to the overall season standings.
The competition will feature teams associated with prominent sporting and entertainment figures, including the Rafa Nadal Academy, Formula One driver Pierre Gasly, actress Eva Longoria and former footballer Sergio Agüero.
An Abu Dhabi team will also join the championship, with further details about its players expected to be announced soon.