Padel clubs
How to open a padel club in Saudi Arabia
A step-by-step guide for owners: the licences, the site, the courts, the budget lines and the systems you need in place before the first booking.
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Key takeaways
- To open a padel club in Saudi Arabia you need a commercial registration, a Ministry of Sport licence through the Nafes platform, a municipal licence through Balady and a Civil Defence safety permit, plus VAT registration once you cross the threshold.
- The new Sports Law came into force in June 2026 and gives existing entities one year to comply, so check the current licensing requirements with the Ministry of Sport before you apply.
- A regulation padel court is 20 by 10 metres inside the enclosure, with a net of 0.88 m at the centre and 0.92 m at the ends, and FIP suggests 8 m of clear height for new facilities.
- Court hire alone rarely fills a club. Plan coaching, an academy, memberships, tournaments, a cafe and a pro shop from day one so quiet hours earn money too.
- Set up online booking, mada and Apple Pay, ZATCA e-invoicing and WhatsApp confirmations before opening day, because retrofitting them after launch costs bookings.
How do you open a padel club in Saudi Arabia?
Here is how to open a padel club in Saudi Arabia in short: you register a company and its commercial activity, obtain a sports facility licence from the Ministry of Sport through the Nafes platform, secure a municipal licence and a Civil Defence safety permit, then build courts to the International Padel Federation (FIP) specification and launch with booking, payments and e-invoicing in place. The order matters. Several approvals depend on a signed lease and a site that already meets the rules, so the site decision comes earlier than most first-time owners expect.
- Validate demand in your district and pick a concept.
- Register the company and the commercial activity.
- Secure the site and sign a lease that allows the activity.
- Apply for the Ministry of Sport licence through Nafes.
- Obtain the municipal licence and Civil Defence safety permit.
- Build or install courts, lighting and cooling.
- Hire staff, set prices and configure your systems.
- Run a soft launch, then open to the public.
How big is the padel market in Saudi Arabia?
Padel in the Kingdom has an official structure behind it. The Saudi Padel Committee was established in August 2021 and joined the International Padel Federation as an affiliate in 2022. According to FIP, Saudi Arabia led Asia in 2024 with 1,097 courts across 431 facilities, and most play is concentrated in Riyadh, followed by the Eastern Province and Makkah Province.
For a new owner, that has two consequences. Players already know the sport, so you spend less effort explaining it. And in the busiest cities you are entering a market with established clubs, so your plan needs a reason for players to choose you: location, court quality, coaching, community or service. Spend a few evenings and a few weekday mornings at nearby clubs and note how full they are at each hour. That fieldwork will tell you more than any national figure.
Where the sport is heading
FIP reports that the federation’s goals for 2025 to 2030 include installing 1,000 courts across 13 regions and 26 cities and governorates. Growth outside the largest cities is part of the plan, which matters if you are weighing a less crowded market.
What licences do you need to open a padel club?
Most padel clubs need four approvals, each from a different authority. The Ministry of Sport licenses private sports facilities through Nafes, its electronic licensing platform launched in June 2021. Licence categories on the platform cover clubs, academies, and sports centres and halls, and a padel venue usually falls under the sports centre category. If you plan to run a structured academy, ask whether it needs its own licence. Requirements, fees and processing times change, so treat the table below as a planning map and confirm each item with the authority.
| Approval | Authority | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial registration | Ministry of Commerce | Company details, the sports activity code, owners and manager |
| Sports facility licence | Ministry of Sport, via Nafes | Commercial registration, site details, facility plans and the activities you will offer |
| Municipal licence | Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, via Balady | A registered lease, a site that meets zoning rules for the activity, building permits for any construction |
| Safety permit | General Directorate of Civil Defense | Fire safety systems, exits, occupancy limits; often issued alongside the Balady licence |
| VAT registration | ZATCA | Mandatory once taxable supplies exceed SAR 375,000 in 12 months; voluntary from SAR 187,500 |
The 2026 Sports Law
The Council of Ministers approved a new Sports Law, published in the Umm Al-Qura gazette on 12 December 2025, and it came into force in June 2026. It gives covered entities one year from that date to bring their status into line, extendable by the Minister of Sport. Implementing regulations set the detailed licensing conditions, so as of October 2026 check the current requirements on the Ministry of Sport’s channels before you apply, and ask an adviser how they affect your plan.
Step 4: Choose the site and decide indoor or outdoor
The site decides your ceiling. Look for parking, easy access from residential areas and offices, and enough land or floor area for the courts plus circulation, a reception, changing rooms and a cafe. Each court needs its 20 by 10 metre playing area plus surrounding space, so measure with your court supplier before you sign anything. In Saudi summers, the indoor or outdoor decision shapes how many hours you can actually sell.
| Factor | Indoor | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | Playable through the day if the hall is cooled | Daytime play is hard in summer; demand shifts to evenings |
| Building | Needs at least 6 m clear height, 8 m suggested for new builds | FIP recommends a north to south court axis |
| Running costs | Air conditioning and lighting are major monthly lines | Lower energy use, more wear from sun and dust |
| Sellable hours | More of the day can be sold year round | Concentrated in evenings and cooler months |
- Court: 20 m long and 10 m wide, measured inside the enclosure.
- Net: 0.88 m high at the centre, 0.92 m at the ends.
- Back walls: 4 m total, the first 3 m solid or glass, the last metre mesh.
- Lighting: uniform, glare-free, with projectors at least 6 m above the ground.
These figures come from the FIP Rules of Padel. Ask your supplier to confirm in writing that the courts, glass and lighting meet them, especially if you want to host ranked tournaments later.
How many courts do you need, and what should you budget for?
Work backwards from peak demand. Most padel bookings in the Kingdom cluster after sunset and on weekend nights, so the question is how many groups of four want to play between roughly 7 PM and midnight in your catchment. Too few courts and you turn players away at peak; too many and you carry empty courts all morning. Many owners start with a number of courts the site can expand on, and reserve land or a phase two for more. Leave capacity for coaching blocks and an academy, because those sessions use courts too.
Costs vary widely by city, site and supplier, so this guide does not quote figures. Build your budget from line items and get at least three written quotes for each.
- Land or lease, including any rent-free fit-out period
- Building works: hall structure or shade, flooring base, drainage
- Courts: structure, glass, mesh, turf, installation and shipping
- Lighting and air conditioning, plus their monthly energy cost
- Reception, changing rooms, cafe and pro shop fit-out
- Licences, consultants, safety systems and insurance
- Software, payment gateway fees and accounting
- Pre-opening salaries, training and launch marketing
Questions to ask court suppliers
Is the court built to the FIP specification, and can you show test results? What glass thickness and turf type do you use, and what warranty covers each? Who installs, how long does it take, and who handles customs and shipping? What maintenance does the turf need, and how often must it be replaced?
How does a padel club make money?
Court hire is the core, and it is time-limited: an hour you do not sell today is gone. The clubs that cover their costs comfortably add revenue that fills quiet hours or raises the value of each visit. Decide on these streams before opening, because each one affects your timetable, staffing and systems.
| Stream | How it works | Decide before opening |
|---|---|---|
| Court hire | Hourly or 90-minute slots, priced by time of day | Peak and off-peak windows, slot length, cancellation policy |
| Coaching and academy | Private lessons, group clinics, kids and adult terms | Coach contracts, revenue split, session packages |
| Memberships and packages | Prepaid hours or monthly plans with member pricing | Expiry windows, member benefits, booking windows |
| Tournaments and socials | Entry fees for americanos, leagues and events | Calendar, formats, prizes and sponsors |
| Cafe and pro shop | Drinks, snacks, rackets, balls and rentals | Run it yourself or lease it out, stock and point of sale |
Plan your timetable around these streams. Weekday mornings and early afternoons suit academies, ladies’ clinics and corporate groups, while evenings are best left for open court hire at peak rates. Our guide to filling off-peak courts covers this in detail.
Step 7: Hire the team, set up your systems and launch
A typical club needs front desk staff, coaches, a manager, cleaning and maintenance, and cafe staff if you run it. Plan for Saudization from the start. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, with the Ministry of Sport, has set a 15% localisation rate for 12 professions in private sports centres and gyms, including sports coach and sports supervisor. It applies to establishments with four or more workers and takes effect on 18 November 2026. Check the full list of professions in the ministry’s procedural guide.
- Online booking on your own website and app, with live court availability
- Payments by mada, Apple Pay and cards through a licensed gateway, including split payments between players
- ZATCA-compliant e-invoices for every paid booking, package and membership
- WhatsApp confirmations and reminders in Arabic and English
- Reports on occupancy by hour, revenue by service and coach performance
| Task | When | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Demand study and concept | Before any lease | You know peak demand and your reason to win |
| Company and commercial registration | Early | The CR shows the sports activity |
| Site and lease | After the demand study | The lease is registered and the site meets zoning rules |
| Ministry of Sport licence | Once the site is secured | The Nafes licence is issued |
| Municipal and Civil Defence approvals | Before opening | Balady licence and safety permit are active |
| Courts, lighting and cooling | During fit-out | Supplier confirms FIP specification in writing |
| Booking, payments and e-invoicing | Four to six weeks before opening | A test booking is paid and invoiced end to end |
| Soft launch | One to two weeks before opening | Staff have run real bookings and refunds |
How AskFlow helps a new padel club open
AskFlow is a booking and operations platform that padel clubs use from opening day. Players book and pay on your branded website and optional iOS app, split the cost by mada, Apple Pay or card, and receive WhatsApp confirmations in Arabic or English. Peak and off-peak rates apply per court and time window, coaching and academy programmes run on the same calendar, and every paid booking gets a ZATCA-compliant e-invoice through your accounting system.
The team sets up your courts, pricing, packages, payment account and WhatsApp with you, so you can run test bookings before the doors open.
Common questions
Do I need a Ministry of Sport licence to open a padel club?
Yes. Private sports facilities in Saudi Arabia are licensed by the Ministry of Sport through the Nafes platform, whose licence categories cover clubs, academies, and sports centres and halls. The new Sports Law that came into force in June 2026 keeps licensing with the ministry. Check the current conditions with the ministry before applying, since implementing regulations set the details.
What are the official dimensions of a padel court?
Under the FIP Rules of Padel, the court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, measured inside the enclosure, with a 0.5% tolerance. The net is 0.88 m high at the centre and 0.92 m at the ends. Back walls reach 4 metres in total, and FIP suggests 8 metres of clear height for new indoor facilities.
Should padel courts in Saudi Arabia be indoor or outdoor?
Indoor, cooled courts can be sold through more of the day and year, which matters in the summer heat, but they need a tall building and carry higher energy costs. Outdoor courts cost less to run and suit cooler months and evenings. Many owners compare the extra sellable hours indoors against the air conditioning bill before deciding.
How much does it cost to open a padel club in Saudi Arabia?
It depends on the city, the site, the number of courts and whether you build indoors. Budget for land or lease, building works, courts and installation, lighting and cooling, fit-out, licences, safety systems, software, pre-opening salaries and marketing. Get at least three written quotes for each line, and ask court suppliers about specification, warranty and turf replacement.
Does Saudization apply to padel clubs?
A decision by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Ministry of Sport sets a 15% localisation rate for 12 professions in private sports centres and gyms, including sports coach and sports supervisor. It applies from 18 November 2026 to establishments with four or more workers. Check the ministry’s procedural guide to see which of your roles are covered.
What software does a new padel club need?
At minimum, online court booking with live availability, payments by mada, Apple Pay and cards through a licensed gateway, split payments between players, ZATCA-compliant e-invoicing, WhatsApp confirmations and reminders, and reports on occupancy by hour. Set them up and run a full test booking before opening day so staff learn the system early.
Sources
- FIP: Focus on Saudi Arabia, Asia’s leading country for courts in 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FIP Rules of Padel (opens in a new tab)
- Umm Al-Qura: Council of Ministers approves the Sports Law (opens in a new tab)
- HRSD: Localisation of professions in private sports centres and gyms (opens in a new tab)
- ZATCA: E-invoicing (opens in a new tab)
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