Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait to welcome the world’s top padel stars for the Kuwait Major

23.10.2026

ARN Publishing House

After hosting major competitions such as the 2024 Kuwait P1 and the 2025 FIP World Cup Pairs, the Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait is once again set to take centre stage in international padel with the Kuwait Major, which will bring together the world’s best pairs from 23 to 31 October.

The tournament, part of the highest category of the Premier Padel Tour and held under the auspices of the International Padel Federation (FIP), will feature the biggest stars in men’s and women’s padel. World No. 1 pair Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia will enter as the top seeds in the men’s draw, followed by their main rivals, Alejandro Galán and Federico Chingotto, the second seeds and defending FIP World Cup Pairs champions, having claimed the title in Kuwait in 2025.

In the women’s draw, Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea will lead the field as the top seeds, followed by Paula Josemaría and Bea González, Ariana Sánchez and Andrea Ustero, and Claudia Fernández and Martina Calvo, who complete the top four seeded pairs.

The arrival of the Major represents further recognition of the organisational capabilities of a sports complex that has established itself as one of the leading padel venues in the Middle East. Since its inauguration in February 2020, the Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait has experienced steady growth, becoming a host venue for major international sporting events.

In 2024, the Academy and The Arena hosted the Kuwait City Premier Padel P1, a tournament that brought together the world’s best players and was nominated at the World Padel Awards as one of the best professional tournaments of the season. A year later, in 2025, the Academy was once again in the international padel spotlight when it hosted the inaugural FIP World Cup Pairs, the World Pairs Championship organised by the International Padel Federation, which brought together the sport’s elite for a historic competition.

The facilities received widespread praise from the players themselves. Among them was World No. 1 Arturo Coello, who highlighted the quality of the sports complex: “The facilities live up to the Academy’s name. We have felt very comfortable here and are delighted to have been able to enjoy this environment.”

These comments reflect the work carried out over recent years to provide athletes with world-class conditions, including competition and training courts, gyms, fitness facilities and services tailored to the demands of professional sport.

Inaugurated by Rafa Nadal six years ago through a partnership with the Tamdeen Group, the Academy in Kuwait was established with the aim of bringing the training methodology and values of the original Manacor project to the Middle East. The centre offers tennis and padel training programmes for children, teenagers and adults, combining sporting development with a philosophy built on hard work, discipline and continuous self-improvement.

Alongside its training programmes, hosting major international competitions has helped establish Kuwait as a leading destination for professional sport, while giving young players the opportunity to see their sporting idols up close.

With the arrival of the Kuwait Major, the Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait reaffirms its commitment to the growth of padel and continues to strengthen its position on the international sporting stage, helping to spread Rafa Nadal’s methodology and values around the world.