Padel in Dubai and the UAE: Courts, Heat and When to Play

October 24, 2026

The UAE has passed 800 padel courts. That's the figure in the 2026 Global Padel Report from Playtomic and Strategy&, PwC's strategy arm, as reported by Padel Addict in May 2026.

So finding a court in Dubai is not the hard part. Finding one at a temperature you can play in is. This guide covers how big the scene is, how the heat shapes when people play, where the indoor and rooftop courts are, and what changes when the pro tour comes to town.

A quick note on where this comes from. I've played in the Algarve, Malaga and Madrid, but not in Dubai, so everything below is from published sources, linked at the bottom.

How big padel is in the UAE

Different people count courts in different ways, so here are three numbers and who counted them.

Count	Area	Source and date
More than 650 courts	UAE	UAE Padel Association, end of 2022, via Aletihad
More than 800 courts	UAE	Playtomic and PwC report, via Padel Addict, May 2026
More than 250 courts	Dubai alone	Gulf News, July 2025

The direction is clear even if the totals differ. In July 2025, Gulf News said new Dubai courts were opening every month. Padel Addict's write-up of the report says the Middle East grows in its own way: institutional investment, a national sports agenda and a luxury feel.

It isn't only Dubai. In a March 2026 Aletihad feature, Abu Dhabi player Ali Al Dhanhani says you can now find courts in almost every part of the capital, and that public parks there have free courts. He also remembers when booking one was hard. That's changed as the courts have gone up.

The climate decides your start time

In the UK, the weather decides if you play. In Dubai, it decides when. Here are the Dubai Meteorological Office's averages for 1991 to 2020. The right-hand column is a suggestion based on those figures, not a rule.

Months	Average high	Average low	What this means for play
December to February	24 to 26°C	14 to 16°C	Outdoor courts work at any time of day
March and November	30 to 31°C	18 to 20°C	Outdoor mornings and evenings; indoors around midday
April and October	34 to 36.5°C	22 to 24°C	Outdoor after dark; indoor courts by day
May to September	37.5 to 42°C	25 to 30°C	Air-conditioned indoor courts

Look at the low for July and August: 30°C. That's the night-time average. So in high summer an evening slot doesn't rescue an outdoor court. Summer humidity is high too, with dew points that can go above 30°C.

For the rest of the year, the evening is prime time. In Abu Dhabi, Aletihad describes courts filling with players arriving after work as the sun sets, under bright floodlights. Dubai's booking hours stretch to match: of the clubs below, Ballers takes bookings until 11pm, and Oxygen Academy and Magic Padel until midnight.

For winter sunset times, and how Dubai compares with the Canaries and southern Spain from November to March, see our winter sun padel holidays guide.

Indoor halls, air conditioning and rooftops

When summer arrives, Gulf News says players move onto air-conditioned courts. A lot of those are in one area.

Al Quoz. This industrial district is the indoor hub. Eight of the ten clubs in What's On's May 2026 guide to indoor courts are here. It lists Padel Kingdom (four indoor courts), Oxygen Academy (seven indoor courts, open 6am to midnight) and the indoor site of Padel Pro, among others. Starting prices across that guide ran from Dhs160 to Dhs360 for a court.

Beyond Al Quoz. The same guide lists Paus Club on Al Wasl Road with four indoor courts, and Pure Play in Jebel Ali. Further out, Magic Padel Sport Academy in Dubai Investments Park lists seven courts under 14-metre ceilings on Playtomic, open 7am to midnight every day. It says its cooling is "airport-grade" AC.

Rooftops and outdoor courts. For the cooler months, What's On's February 2026 guide lists two outdoor rooftop courts at Viya Fit, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, and ten outdoor courts at Padel Pro's One Central site. Just Padel runs several sites, including Kite Beach, Mina Rashid and Dubai South.

If you want the Downtown courts with the Burj Khalifa behind them, or the floating court in JLT, our Dubai P1 guide lists those with prices.

How booking works

There's no single system. Three routes cover most of it.

Playtomic. Some Dubai clubs take bookings on Playtomic, the app that says it handles about 80% of UK bookings, so you can use the app you already have. What's On lists Padelx and Ballers on it. Our UK booking apps comparison covers how it works.
The club's own app or site. Just Padel books through its own site, its app or WhatsApp, and rents out equipment.
Instagram. For many of the venues in What's On's lists, the booking route given is the club's Instagram account. Message them early.

Prices are in dirhams and usually quoted per court, so split by four. A few venues, such as Viya Fit and The Lob, quote per person instead, so check which one you're looking at. The "from" price is the cheapest slot. Evenings in the cooler months are when most people want to play, so book those further ahead.

P1 week: when the courts get busy

The pro tour's Dubai P1 runs from 8 to 15 November 2026, per the FIP's event page. For the 2025 edition, Aletihad notes, courts were built over a swimming pool at the Hamdan Sports Complex.

November evenings suit outdoor play, with an average low of 20°C. Add a tour week and visiting fans, and expect the good evening slots to go fast. If you're flying out for it:

Book your court the day you book your flights.
Take a morning slot, so your evenings stay free for the arena.
If the outdoor clubs are full, try the Al Quoz halls as a backup.

Times, tickets and how P1 points work are all in the Dubai P1 guide. Padelism is not affiliated with Premier Padel or the FIP.

What to bring from home

For a full list, including Dubai's dress guidance for days off court, see our padel holiday packing list. Three things specific to playing there:

Grip socks. Light and easy to pack. Our grip socks are £14, sized by shoe size. The grip socks guide explains what grip socks do and don't do.

A cap. If you're on a rooftop or outdoor court before the sun's gone, have something from our headwear range in your bag.

Something for after. For the dinner after a late game, pack one of our heavyweight tees. They're 100% cotton, 305 g/m² and cut oversized, at £48 each, or any two £48 tees for £90 through the 2 for £90 range.

Everything is made to order, which takes 7 to 10 working days in the UK. Order a couple of weeks before you fly. UK delivery is free on orders of £75 and over.

If you've got a Spain trip coming up as well, the padel in Spain guide covers booking there.

FAQ

How many padel courts are there in the UAE? More than 800, according to the 2026 Global Padel Report by Playtomic and PwC's Strategy&, as reported by Padel Addict. Gulf News counted more than 250 in Dubai alone in July 2025.

Can you play padel outdoors in Dubai in summer? It's hard going. From May to September, average highs run from 37.5°C to 42°C, and July and August nights average 30°C. Most people move to air-conditioned indoor courts, many of them in Al Quoz.

How do you book a padel court in Dubai? Through Playtomic at some clubs, through a club's own app or website at others (Just Padel has its own), and by Instagram message at many smaller venues. Prices are in dirhams, usually per court, though a few venues quote per person.

Is it harder to get a court during the Dubai P1? Expect so. The 2026 event runs 8 to 15 November, when evenings suit outdoor play, and visiting fans want courts too. Book early, aim for mornings, or try an indoor club.

Can you play padel for free in Abu Dhabi? Yes, in some places. Ali Al Dhanhani told Aletihad in March 2026 that public parks in Abu Dhabi have free padel courts.