Venture Capital and Building Group, Xische Ventures, in partnership with global sports brand HEAD, announced the launch of the first HEAD-licensed padel sports training center in the Middle East. The club will officially be open to the public on Feb. 21 in Abu Dhabi, encompassing a training academy, certified coaching programs, professional padel courts, memberships, a juice bar, a retail/pro-shop store and its own competition team.  

Located in Musaffah, the space will feature five padel courts and one VIP court for private bookings. The courts can hold up to 24 players at one time and will host competitions that are set to reach 100 people. Alongside the courts, there is seating space for spectators to watch the games, with a total of 50-60 in capacity. The arena will also be home to a HEAD PRO SHOP, an exclusive outlet retailing soft and hard goods, accessories, shoes and an array of apparel.  

Inside the HEAD Arena.

“We are beyond excited to launch the first-of-its-kind HEAD licensed club and academy here in Abu Dhabi,” says Ravi Menghani, managing partner, sports vertical, Xische Ventures. “It is our pleasure to welcome everyone in the community to visit, train, learn, and enjoy all we have on offer. Our mission is to create the best experience for each guest and provide true quality sportsmanship.” 

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The current opening in UAE is set to be the first in the GCC market by Xische and HEAD, through the partnership agreement. Xische plans to launch 10 racquet arenas across the MENA region by 2027, with two more arenas set to open this year. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Xische for our first HEAD Arena in Abu Dhabi, as they have proven their innovative vision and ability to not only find the perfect partner and location, but also to manage the arena to align with our high standards at HEAD, as one of the leading sporting goods companies in the racquet sport industry,” says Giuseppe Faranna, vice president licensing, HEAD Sports GmbH. “We look forward to the grand opening and hopefully expanding to more locations throughout the GCC region.”