Dubai: The International Padel Federation, the global governing body of padel, on Thursday announced the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA) as the host of this year’s IPF World Padel Championship, its flagship biennial tournament.
The Dubai World Padel Championship 2022, held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, and hosted by UAEPA in association with Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism (DET), will take place from October 31 to November 5 at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
Six-day competition
Unveiling the tournament, the UAEPA outlined its plans to transform the 5,000-seat stadium into a showpiece venue for the six-day international team competition.
“Hosting the Dubai World Padel Championship will further expand the profile of padel across the UAE, where the sport is already surging in popularity among men and women across all age groups,” said Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, President of the UAEPA. “There is no limit to the growth of the sport across the Emirates, and we hope this world-class event will cement the UAE’s position as a global capital of padel.”
The Dubai World Padel Championship will boast separate men’s and women’s categories, with 16 national teams set to compete in each competition.
Debut on home turf
In another ground-breaking first, the UAE men’s national team will make its IPF World Padel Championship debut on home turf; the eight-man squad will represent the Arabian Gulf against a glittering roster of the game’s leading countries, including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, and Uruguay. Three additional nations from the final rounds of European qualifying will be later this month.
National teams that have qualified for the women’s competition include Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, Uruguay, and the USA, with two more European teams set to be decided in continental qualifiers.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals & Retail Establishment, part of DET, commented: “As an international events hub, Dubai continues to host global sporting events that further enhance our efforts to achieve the goal set by our visionary leadership to make Dubai the most preferred and visited destination in the world. Padel is a growing obsession among sports enthusiasts in Dubai and we expect the city’s padel community to come out in force to welcome the world’s best male and female players during the World Padel Championship — especially as it coincides with this year’s Dubai Fitness Challenge.”
