Drive past any sports complex in Dubai in the evening and you’ll almost certainly see glass boxes under floodlights, each with four people and short rackets inside. That’s padel. In a few years it has become the city’s main social sport: people play after work, at weekends, with colleagues and with their kids, and booking a court for Friday evening can be harder than getting a restaurant table.
For a visitor, padel is an easy way to spend a couple of active hours and see the city from more than the tourist side. Below: why everyone plays, how the game works, how to book a court for an hour and which clubs to go to.
In short
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What it is | Two against two on a court with glass walls, tennis scoring |
| Experience needed | None, the basic shots come in one session |
| How to book | Usually the Playtomic app; some clubs have their own apps |
| How long | Most people book 60–90 minutes |
| Rackets | Many clubs hire them out |
| When | Outdoor courts from October to April in the evening; indoor clubs in summer |
| What to bring | Tennis or padel shoes, water, light sportswear |
Why padel is so popular in Dubai
Padel was invented in Mexico in 1969 and for a long time was a Spanish and Latin American passion. The UAE took it seriously in the late 2010s: in June 2019 the UAE Ministry of Sport officially recognised padel as a sport. The UAE Padel Association (UAEPA) has existed since 2014.
Growth after that was very fast. According to the Dubai Media Office, the UAE now has 30% of all padel courts in Asia and about 2% of the courts in the world. Courts are built in sports clubs, hotels, on beaches, on rooftops and even on water.
Why it caught on:
- It’s easy to start. Unlike tennis, you get long rallies in your very first session: the court is small, the ball comes off the walls, and mistakes don’t hurt.
- It’s a game for a group. It’s always played as a four, so padel has become a reason to meet up, and people stay at the club café afterwards.
- It’s an evening sport. Most courts are floodlit and open until midnight, and in the cool season the best time is after sunset.
- Age and level don’t matter. Teenagers, office teams and retirees play on neighbouring courts.
The rules in three sentences
- It’s two against two on a 20 by 10 metre court enclosed by glass walls and mesh, with the same scoring as tennis.
- The serve is underarm only: you bounce the ball first, hit it at waist height or below and serve diagonally into your opponent’s box.
- The ball must bounce once on your opponent’s side, and on your own side you can play it after it comes off the wall, but if your shot hits your opponent’s wall before the ground, you lose the point.
A padel racket has no strings: it’s solid, with holes, and has a cord you put around your wrist. The balls look like tennis balls.
The glass walls are part of the game: after a bounce on the ground, you can play the ball off the glass. Photo: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
How visitors can book a court
You don’t need a membership: most Dubai clubs rent courts to anyone.
- Playtomic. The most widely used padel app in Dubai. Padel Point, Padel Pro, La Cantine Sports Club, Ballers and many other clubs take bookings through it. Choose the club, time and duration, and pay in the app.
- Clubs’ own apps. Just Padel has its own app, website and WhatsApp booking. SIRO One Za’abeel courts are booked through Padelmates.
- If you have no one to play with. Join a group session, a social tournament (often called an “Americano”) or find an open match at your level. Padel Point, for example, lists a one-hour level assessment session on Playtomic for 135 AED (prices as of October 2026).
- Rackets. Just Padel, Padel Point, Padel Pro, La Cantine Sports Club and Padelx hire them out. If you’re coming specifically to play, check racket availability when you book.
Book ahead, especially for Thursday and Friday evenings and weekends, when free courts are almost impossible to find.
Where to play: 10 clubs
Just Padel, Mina Rashid and Kite Beach. One of the biggest court networks in the city. Mina Rashid has 8 indoor and 4 outdoor courts, plus a separate indoor block of 4 women-only courts. Kite Beach has 4 outdoor courts right by the beach, open from 6:00 to midnight. According to the club’s site, a court costs 180–220 AED for 45 minutes depending on the venue (prices as of October 2026). Two more of its courts are at Dubai Ladies Club.
World Padel Academy, Al Quoz 1. One of the top clubs if you want to learn: open since September 2020, with an academy, training for all ages and tournaments. According to What’s On, it has 7 indoor and 3 outdoor courts.
Padel Point, Al Quoz. The club calls itself the first indoor padel club in the UAE. Five indoor courts, a café, a shop, racket hire, social games and women’s tournaments. A good choice for a first session in summer.
Padel Pro, One Central. Five outdoor courts in the business district by Dubai World Trade Centre, open from 6:00 to midnight. Handy if you’re staying in the centre or on Sheikh Zayed Road. The network also has indoor courts in Al Quoz, coaches and partner matching by level.
La Cantine Sports Club, Bluewaters. Six courts by the Delano hotel on Bluewaters Island, five outdoor and one covered. Open 7:00 to 23:00, with a café, a shop and racket hire. People come here for the atmosphere: after the game you can stay by the sea.
Ballers, Downtown. Six outdoor courts near Burj Khalifa, booked through Playtomic. An evening game with a view of the world’s tallest building is a good choice for a visitor.
Padelx, JLT. Two courts right on the lake by Cluster I in Jumeirah Lake Towers, reached by a small bridge. Rackets are available on site, booking through Playtomic. Most of the information about this club dates from 2023, so check opening hours in the app.
SIRO One Za’abeel × World Padel Academy. Three courts on the ground floor of the One Za’abeel complex, opened in February 2026 and open 7:00 to 23:59. Training, tournaments and leagues are open both to hotel guests and to people coming in from outside.
Club 15, Al Quoz 4. A new 15,000 m² sports club that opened in autumn 2026. Seven indoor courts with 15-metre ceilings, a two-level gym, a heated 25-metre pool, basketball and a recovery area with a sauna, cold therapy and a physiotherapy clinic. Open 6:00 to 23:00, booking through Playtomic. The club is a couple of minutes from Al Khail Road, with parking for more than 300 cars.
AllSports Arena, Al Quoz 1. A large indoor sports complex by Galadari: more than 20 sports under one roof and six padel courts. There’s a gym, a 25-metre pool, a climbing wall and a gymnastics area, so the whole family can come along. Check opening hours on allsportsarena.com.
Both clubs are new, the facilities are genuinely excellent, and both are indoors, which makes them a good pick in summer.
Hours and prices change, so check them in the app or on the club’s website before you go.
The heat: outdoor or indoor courts
From October to April, outdoor courts are the best of Dubai padel: the evenings are warm but not hot, and floodlights let you play until midnight. From May to September, playing on an outdoor court during the day is close to impossible. In summer, choose indoor air-conditioned clubs (most are in the Al Quoz industrial area) or outdoor courts early in the morning and late in the evening.
This is what indoor courts under a shared roof look like. In summer they’re a lifesaver; in Dubai most clubs like this are in Al Quoz. Example photo, not taken in Dubai: Samson Ssemakadde, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
What to wear and bring
- Shoes for tennis or padel. Running shoes slip on the sanded artificial grass.
- Light sportswear, and a cap for an outdoor court.
- Water, especially for your first game: padel is addictive, and an hour and a half flies by.
- Your own racket only if you already play. Beginners are better off hiring one.
- A layer for evenings from December to February: after sunset it can be cool by the sea.
A plan: padel in one evening
- Two or three days ahead, book a court for 60–90 minutes on Playtomic or sign up for a group session.
- Arrive 15 minutes early to pick up rackets, change and warm up.
- The first 20 minutes: shots at the net and serves; the rest of the time, play.
- After the game: dinner at the club café or a walk. Ballers is close to the Downtown fountains, La Cantine to the JBR promenade.
If you like active weekends, have a look at my guide to Mushrif Park with its cycling tracks and trails. Where visitors can play regular tennis is in my posts on tennis in Dubai and tennis courts in Dubai.
Watch world-class padel
Every autumn the best players in the world come to Dubai. Dubai Premier Padel P1 was first held in 2024, and in 2026 it runs 8–15 November at Hamdan Sports Complex. Tickets are sold through the tournament’s official site. The season’s other big events are in my UAE sports events calendar.
Common mistakes
- Not booking ahead. Weekend evening slots are almost always taken.
- Playing outdoors at midday in summer. It’s a health risk. In summer, indoor courts or early evening only.
- Hitting too hard, straight into your opponent’s glass. If your ball hits their wall before the ground, you lose the point. A tennis habit works against you here: in padel, placement matters more than power.
- Jumping straight into games with strong players. Open matches are split by level, so start at beginner.
- Turning up in running shoes. They slip on the sanded surface and it’s easy to turn an ankle.
More ideas for your days off: Best parks in Dubai · Mushrif Park · Best walks in Dubai · Cycling in Dubai · Splash parks for kids · Beach clubs · Tennis courts · Al Qudra Lakes.
Padel in Dubai isn’t only a sport, it’s also a way to see how the city lives in the evening. If you’d like to combine a game with sightseeing, message me on WhatsApp and I’ll put together a plan for your dates and interests.
Practical answers
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists play padel in Dubai?
Yes, you don't need a club membership. Book a court for an hour or an hour and a half on the Playtomic app or the club's website; rackets can usually be hired on site. If you have no one to play with, join a group session or an open match at your level.
How much does it cost to book a padel court in Dubai?
It depends on the club and the time. At Just Padel, for example, a court costs 180–220 AED for 45 minutes as of October 2026, usually split between four players. Check other clubs' current prices on Playtomic when you book.
Where can I play padel in Dubai in summer?
At indoor air-conditioned clubs, most of them in Al Quoz: Club 15, AllSports Arena, World Padel Academy, Padel Point and the indoor courts of Padel Pro. Outdoor courts in summer are used early in the morning or after sunset.
What are the basic rules of padel?
It's played two against two on a 20 by 10 metre court enclosed by walls, with tennis scoring. You serve underarm, after a bounce, at waist height or below, diagonally. You can play the ball off your own wall, but only after it has bounced on the ground.
Which app do I use to book padel in Dubai?
Most often Playtomic: Padel Point, Padel Pro, La Cantine Sports Club, Ballers and many other clubs use it. Just Padel has its own app and WhatsApp booking, and SIRO One Za'abeel courts are booked through Padelmates.
Are there women-only padel courts in Dubai?
Yes. Just Padel at Mina Rashid has a separate indoor block of four women-only courts, and two more courts are at Dubai Ladies Club. Many clubs run women's tournaments and sessions.
