UAEPA to host IPF World Padel Champio nship

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, hosted by UAEPA in association with Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism (DET), will be played from Oct.31 to Nov.5 at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.

Unveiling the tournament on Thursday, the UAEPA outlined its plans to transform the 5,000seat stadium intoa 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.

“With the world’s best teams and players now heading to the UAE next month, we are finalising planstotemporarilyconvert Dubai Dutyfree Tennis Stadium – a venue renowned for decades of tennis excellence – into purpose-built courts that will facilitate the maximum number of spectators to follow the world-classaction,” addedsheikhsaeed.

The Dubai World Padel Championship will boast separate men’s and women’s categories, with 16 national teams set to compete in each competition.

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 glitering 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.

With hundreds of elite padel players, coaching staff, and their families all set to visit Dubai for the biggest event on the sport’s annual calendar, the event is expected to provide a further boost to the emirate in terms of tourism contribution and economic impact, according to Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals & Retail Establishment, an agency of DET.