For decades, the center of gravity of world padel was unchanging: Spain, and more specifically Madrid or Barcelona. That’s where the best academies, the best coaches, and the highest concentration of professional players per square meter were located.
Yet, at the start of 2026, a wind of change is blowing on the Premier Padel tour. Leading figures like Jon Sanz, Javi Garrido, or young prodigy Javi Leal have taken the plunge: they are leaving the Iberian Peninsula to settle in Dubai.
This is no longer just a locker room rumour, but a major trend that is reshaping the geography of the sport. But what is driving these athletes at the peak of their game to move to the United Arab Emirates? And why do players change partners so often?
Infrastructure: luxury for performance
Dubai never does things by halves, and padel is no exception. Players find a highly performance-oriented work environment there, with modern indoor facilities and a level of services often more “premium” than in traditional clubs.
- Recent academies and complexes: the city relies on sports facilities that also host padel, with high-level courts and a very strong “service + experience” approach.
- The weather factor: most training can be done indoors, in stable conditions all year round, which facilitates the regularity of preparation cycles.
- A practical hub: with an increasingly international Premier Padel tour, being based in Dubai can be seen as a convenient logistical choice to string together certain trips, depending on the calendar periods.
The Financial Aspect: Taxation and Sponsorship
We cannot overlook the economic reality of professional sport. Padel is growing, and players now manage their careers like businesses.
An attractive tax framework
This is one of the most frequently cited arguments. The United Arab Emirates does not levy income tax on individuals, which can make settling there very advantageous if the player meets the conditions for tax residency and compliance in their home country.
New local partners
Moving to Dubai also means getting closer to a regional market where padel is developing rapidly. For some players, being on site can facilitate local sponsorship opportunities or collaborations related to the Emirates’ sports ecosystem, without mechanically guaranteeing “bigger” contracts than in Spain.
Quality of Life and the Group Effect
Padel is a sport where psychology and one’s entourage matter immensely. The fact that several players are taking the plunge simultaneously creates a more reassuring ecosystem.
- The training effect: when several top players choose the same city, they retain access to very high-level training partners, which helps maintain the intensity and quality of “sparring”.
- Safety and services: the quality of life, the international environment, and the level of services attract players who want to optimize their daily lives while remaining within a highly structured framework.
Summary: why is Dubai winning the match?
| Factor | Dubai’s Advantage | Situation in Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | no income tax in the UAE, subject to compliant tax residency | potentially high taxation on high incomes, varying by region |
| Infrastructure | modern indoor facilities and performance-oriented services | historical, dense, sometimes highly solicited ecosystem |
| Travel | convenient air hub for certain international connections | logical base if remaining focused on Europe and Spain |
| Sponsors | proximity to a highly dynamic regional market | mature, highly competitive, and already shared market |
In Conclusion: The End of Spanish Hegemony?
While Spain remains the cultural cradle of padel, Dubai is emerging as a hub for business, training, and opportunities, as the sport globalizes and the calendar expands.
It remains to be seen if this concentration of talent in the Emirates will bear fruit on the sporting front: the results of the upcoming Major tournaments will tell us if the “Dubai choice” is a performance accelerator… or simply a new way to optimize a career.
Do you think this departure of some players to Dubai will harm the level of the Spanish championship, or is it a logical step in the globalization of the sport?
