Kuwait's Grand Badal Championship kicks off today

The Kuwait Open Padel 2026 kicks off today, with the host nation hosting the event until October 31. The tournament features a select group of the world’s top-ranked players, highlighting the growing presence of the sport in the region and reinforcing Kuwait’s position on the map of international competitions.

The Supreme Organizing Committee held a press conference yesterday morning to reveal the organizational and technical details of the championship and to outline preparations for hosting the competitions. Attendees included Bishar Abdullah, Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports; Mashael Al-Ansari, Tournament Director; Jose Luis, Head of the “Premier Padel” Referees Committee; Waleed Al-Saqqaf, Director of the Kuwait Youth and Sports Season; Hussein Al-Qutari, Director of Public Relations at Alghanim Industries; Ahmed Maaref, Head of Shared Services and Business Development at Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive; Meshal Al-Safar, Vice Chairman of the Board at Volvo; and Dalal Madouh, CEO of Marketing and Communications at National Investments Company.

Bishar Abdullah expressed his delight at Kuwait hosting such tournaments, noting that they receive special attention from the Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs, Dr. Tariq Al-Jalahma, as part of efforts to support sports activities and attract international competitions. He thanked Badr Al-Kharafi for organizing the tournament in the past two years, emphasizing that the contributions of the BNK Group exemplify the social role of the private sector, which is a key partner in developing sports and supporting its progress.

He pointed out that padel has experienced a significant resurgence in recent years, adding that he has followed several matches and events, noting the high level of interest among youth and the eagerness of parents to encourage their children to play and continue with the sport. He added that improvements in tournament organization will positively impact the level of play and contribute to preparing players to achieve outstanding results in international competitions, expressing confidence in the organizing committee’s ability to deliver an exceptional edition, similar to last year’s tournament, which won the award for best organization.

Abdullah also expressed his anticipation for a large public turnout, noting that Kuwaiti fans bring a special atmosphere to the tournaments hosted by the country, contributing to their success and highlighting its status.

For his part, Tournament Director Mashael Al-Ansari thanked the ministries and government entities for their support and for facilitating the necessary procedures to ensure the tournament’s success, praising the Public Authority for Youth and Sports for backing the event and providing the required facilities. Al-Ansari said the BNK Group, under the leadership of Badr Al-Kharafi, is committed to delivering the best tournaments for the Kuwaiti sports community and supporting sports activities whose impacts extend to economic aspects, as well as enhancing Kuwait’s sports presence.

He added, “We wish the tournament success and hope that future editions will continue this approach. We also wish to commend the unsung heroes whose efforts contributed to the success of previous tournaments and played a vital role in reaching this level of organization.”

For his part, Waleed Al-Saqqaf, Director of the Kuwait Youth and Sports Season, confirmed that the tournament is one of the important events within the season due to its sporting value and the opportunities it provides to boost tourism and attract visitors from within Kuwait and abroad.

Al-Saqaabi stated that the launch of the championship represents an exceptional day for hosting an important global event in the sport of padel, noting that this year’s season focuses on the theme “Empowering and Developing Human Capital” by providing opportunities for young men and women to participate in organizing major events. He added that volunteer opportunities remain open to young men and women to gain experience and learn the mechanisms behind organizing championships and sporting events, thereby preparing them to take part in organizing larger events in the future and strengthening the capabilities of national cadres in this field. Al-Saqaabi highlighted that the BNK Group has provided a distinctive model in organizing the championship over the past two years, and affirmed that its receipt of the Best Organization award in both years reflects the level of effort and the initiatives behind the event’s success.