Dadju wants to take his Dubai social club to Africa

An opening with an international guest list

On 21 November 2025, Dadju announced the opening of Padel One at Dubai Investment Park on Instagram. The post featured eight images of the new address and ended with ‘What’s next?’ alongside seven flags: Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Morocco, Benin and Senegal.

The launch already had an international profile. In an interview published by GQ Middle East and explicitly presented by Padel One, the artist says he invited Kylian Mbappé, Francis Ngannou, Lucas Hernandez and Theo Hernandez. Members of local royal families reportedly attended too. The list gives a sense of the network available to the project.

That visibility explains the initial interest. The club’s programme, opening hours, prices and team offer a more useful picture of what might bring a player back.

Six courts and time beyond the match

The venue has six fully indoor, air-conditioned courts, with a playing surface described as the same as that used on the FIP circuit. It opens daily from 6am to midnight on 52 Street in Dubai Investment Park 2. Private lessons, group sessions, match play, a junior academy and corporate offers make up the sporting programme.

The rest explains the brand’s use of ‘social’. A café-lounge accommodates the post-match visit; an infrared sauna, cold plunges and a resting area form the recovery zone; a studio offers yoga and Pilates. Players can move from a game to recovery, coffee or a business meeting without leaving the venue.

This arrangement fits Dubai, where air conditioning supports year-round play and clubs also compete on hospitality. Padel One is built around the length of a visit as well as the number of court bookings.

Pricing reveals the business model

Padel One’s published price list makes its positioning clear. A court costs AED 240–320 for 60 minutes and AED 340–440 for 90 minutes, depending on the time slot. Split between four players, that is AED 60–110 each, excluding racket rental and balls.

Three monthly memberships serve different uses. Standard, at AED 450, includes a daily weekday booking before 5pm and several discounts. Platinum, at AED 790, extends bookings throughout the week and includes unlimited sauna and cold-plunge access. Business Club, at AED 1,490, adds private events, a ball machine and higher discounts among its benefits.

The third tier makes the intent tangible: Padel One also sells access to a professional circle. Networking is part of the product, with its own events and membership level. That structure could increase revenue per member if the programme provides regular reasons to return.

A deliberate French touch

Dadju compares Padel One to a luxury hotel lobby or a yacht-club lounge. In the sponsored GQ Middle East interview, he names Roland-Garros, Lacoste, Saint Laurent and Hermès as references. The language is ambitious and sometimes familiar, but it matches an identifiable visual direction.

Official images show earthy red, dark green, cream and pale wood. Courts appear behind resting areas; the Pilates studio has its own storage and mirrors; the wellness zone is a distinct room. The interiors carry the commercial proposition into spaces where no match takes place.

Consistency will matter. An opening photograph can make a strong impression; daily bookings, maintenance and service will determine whether the club meets the expectations of customers familiar with Dubai’s hospitality standards.

The team behind the name

Gulf News describes Dadju as an investor and developer in the project, alongside his partner Nasser Goulamhoussen. Day-to-day operations rely on three padel professionals: Léo Periol, Gillian Dupin and Louis Marcel. That division provides a clearer view of the roles involved than the broad label ‘celebrity club’.

The team handles lessons, internal tournaments, beginner support, maintenance and the atmosphere on an ordinary day. Padel One brings together a strong ability to launch a project and the demanding work of operating a club.

Madagascar first, four further markets announced

Madagascar is the most developed next step in the public account. In an interview published on 3 April 2026 by KT Engage, Dadju connects the choice to Nasser Goulamhoussen’s Malagasy roots and local knowledge. He cites a population of roughly 30 million and around ten padel clubs; those figures are his assessment of the market, rather than an independent census published with the interview.

The roadmap cited by GQ Middle East also includes Casablanca, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Benin. It follows the team’s cultural and professional connections rather than a conventional European expansion map.

At this stage, the public sources give no addresses, opening dates or investment amounts for the five markets. These remain announced ambitions. The first documented African location, local team and timetable will mark the next step towards a network.

What Padel One still needs to establish

The Dubai concept has a strong aesthetic, a widely recognised name and a clear range of services. Replicating it raises practical questions: purchasing power, property costs, energy for indoor facilities, booking habits, coach availability and provision for beginners.

The brand is unlikely to apply Dubai Investment Park prices everywhere. It will need to decide which elements define its identity and which can vary by city. More accessible offers, local partnerships and programming specific to each country could matter as much as the courts’ design.

Padel One’s proposed route connects Dubai to African markets still relatively little covered by international club networks. A confirmed address, team and opening day on the continent will provide the clearest measure of progress.