Sea Breeze Hosts Crocus Fitness Padel Cup Ahead of Dream Fest 2026

Ahead of Dream Fest 2026, Sea Breeze's Sport Beach Club hosted the Crocus Fitness Padel Cup, a celebrity tournament bringing together renowned artists, professional athletes, and top padel players. The event marked one of the opening highlights of the festival week, demonstrating that Dream Fest is not only about music but also features an extensive international sports programme.

Among those taking to the court were Emin Agalarov (EMIN), Founder of Sea Breeze and internationally acclaimed artist; two-time Olympic figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko; artists Bahh Tee, Ellai, and Brandon Stone; footballer Ramil Sheydayev; entrepreneur Roustam Tariko; and professional padel players. Competitors were paired in teams consisting of one professional and one amateur player, creating an exciting tournament that remained competitive through to the final matches.

The tournament champions were Evgeni Plushenko and Talat Rahimov. Roustam Tariko and Arif Guliyev finished in second place, while Emin Agalarov and Kamil Ismayilov claimed third.

The tournament was organized by Sea Breeze, Crocus Fitness, Dream Fest, and the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation. The competition was officiated by international referee Gleb Pivovarov, a certified umpire with more than 20 years of professional experience.

According to Emin Agalarov, hosting the tournament immediately before Dream Fest was a natural extension of the festival's concept.

"Many artists attending the festival also play padel, so we decided to organize the tournament a few days before Dream Fest begins, when everyone is already at Sea Breeze. It's a great opportunity to bring together music and sport as part of one large-scale programme," he said.

Agalarov also emphasized that the development of sports infrastructure is one of Sea Breeze's strategic priorities. In the near future, the resort will open an indoor padel centre featuring eight courts, along with an additional outdoor court. Plans also include hosting padel, tennis, football, volleyball, and other sporting events. This autumn, Sea Breeze will stage its first international beach polo tournament on the shores of the Caspian Sea. In addition, discussions are underway regarding the possibility of hosting Davis Cup matches, supported by the construction of new sports infrastructure, including spectator stands and a football stadium with a capacity of 5,000.

"Our vision is for Sea Breeze to host international-level events almost every day throughout the summer season. These will include not only concerts but also major sporting competitions. Sport will always remain an integral part of Sea Breeze," Agalarov added.

Participants also welcomed the concept of combining sport and music within the Dream Fest programme. Brandon Stone noted that the format allows artists to stay active while creating a unique atmosphere for networking and interaction beyond the stage. Bahh Tee added that sport is the perfect way to recharge ahead of four busy days of performances and festival activities.

Tournament winner Evgeni Plushenko praised the high standard of organization, noting that pairing professional athletes with amateur participants made the competition particularly entertaining. The Olympic champion also spoke about his ongoing work to develop figure skating in Azerbaijan and his cooperation with Sea Breeze on future sports initiatives.

Padel is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and its popularity continues to rise rapidly in Azerbaijan, where dedicated infrastructure is expanding and international tournaments are held on a regular basis.

The Crocus Fitness Padel Cup provided a vibrant opening to Dream Fest week and once again highlighted Sea Breeze's ambition to establish itself as a year-round destination for major international cultural and sporting events.