HAPPENING SEP/OCT '27 | CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel is preparing for another edition at Rotterdam Ahoy in 2027 after attracting a record 42,673 visitors this year. The exact 2027 dates, tournament category, ticket prices and programme have not yet been announced, so this guide will be updated as new information is confirmed.

When is Rotterdam Premier Padel 2027?

The dates for CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel 2027 have not yet been officially announced. The organiser is already looking ahead to the next edition, but the current tournament website still carries the completed 2026 schedule.

That means it is too early to assume that the tournament will return on the same dates or with the same Premier Padel classification. The 2026 Rotterdam tournament ran from 27 September to 4 October, with qualifying followed by the main draw and finals at Rotterdam Ahoy.

Rotterdam was a P2 tournament in 2026. Earlier editions had a different classification, so we will wait for the official 2027 Premier Padel calendar before attaching P1, P2 or another category to next year's event.

2026 edition sets another visitor record

The third edition of CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel attracted 42,673 visitors to Rotterdam Ahoy, setting a new tournament record. Attendance has increased every year: the first edition drew 36,000 visitors in 2024, followed by 39,758 in 2025.

The 2026 final day attracted 9,110 padel fans, more than 1,000 above the previous year's final-day attendance. The world's top 32 were represented during the P2 tournament.

Who won in Rotterdam in 2026?

Spain's Ariana Sánchez and Andrea Ustero won the women's title. The third seeds defeated fellow Spaniards Paula Josemaría and Bea González 6-4, 6-4 in the final.

In the men's tournament, Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello successfully defended their Rotterdam title. The Argentine-Spanish pair, seeded first, beat Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz 6-3, 6-2.

The victories closed a week in which spectators could watch the professional tournament on Centre Court while also taking part in padel activities elsewhere in Ahoy.

Watching and playing at Ahoy

CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel has increasingly positioned itself as more than a spectator tournament. In 2026, The Padel Village and the event's Play It programme gave visitors opportunities to get onto the courts themselves alongside the professional competition.

Tournament director John van Lottum said after the 2026 edition that the combination of watching elite padel and giving visitors opportunities to play is part of what distinguishes the Rotterdam event.

CUPRA became the tournament's title partner in 2026 under a five-year agreement. The event now carries the official name CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel.

Tickets for Rotterdam Premier Padel 2027

Ticket sales and prices for the 2027 tournament have not yet been announced.

In 2026, qualifying rounds could be attended free of charge with advance registration, while the main tournament used separate tickets for different days, sessions and seating categories. That system should be treated as previous-edition information rather than a confirmed plan for 2027.

We will update this section once the organiser announces the 2027 ticket sale, schedule and prices.

What we are waiting for

The next major update should bring the official 2027 dates and Rotterdam's place on the Premier Padel calendar. After that, the organiser is expected to publish the playing schedule, ticket categories, player registrations and information about qualifying.

Details about The Padel Village, amateur activities, Dutch players and any return of the Play It programme also remain to be announced.

You can check the latest announcements through the official CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel website at premierpadelrotterdam.com.

Watch the 2025 highlights video

Premier Padel Rotterdam 2025 ended with Delfina Brea and Gemma Triay taking the women's title and Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello winning the men's tournament.

How to get there

Rotterdam Ahoy is in Rotterdam-Zuid, next to the Zuidplein shopping and transport area. Zuidplein metro and bus station is around a five-minute walk from the venue, making public transport one of the easiest ways to reach the tournament.

If you are travelling by car, Rotterdam Ahoy has more than 2,500 parking spaces. Parking and any event-specific traffic information should be checked shortly before your visit.

HAPPENING 28 JAN–7 FEB '27 | International Film Festival Rotterdam returns from 28 January to 7 February 2027 for its 56th edition. The main film programme, screening timetable and public ticket prices have not yet been announced, but the festival dates and several Rotterdam-specific parts of the programme are already confirmed.

IFFR 2027 dates

International Film Festival Rotterdam, better known as IFFR, will take place from Thursday 28 January to Sunday 7 February 2027. That gives Rotterdam eleven days of international cinema, talks, audiovisual art, performances and industry activity at locations across the city.

IFFR is one of Rotterdam's biggest annual cultural events and combines a public film festival with programmes supporting filmmakers and film professionals. Its established programme ranges from international premieres and competitions to talks, exhibitions, immersive work and the IFFR Pro industry programme.

What is confirmed for IFFR 2027?

The complete film selection is still to come, but Rotterdam already has several confirmed dates and names. RTM Day takes place on Friday 29 January 2027 at LantarenVenster. RTM is IFFR's programme devoted to films, filmmakers and creative talent from Rotterdam and the surrounding region.

The 2027 RTM programme is being guest curated by Leana Boven, Ciska Meister and Rocky Roos. They are developing a programme intended to bring together different communities, generations and forms of filmmaking from Rotterdam.

One film is already confirmed for the edition. Rotterdam artist and researcher Cyan Bae will premiere How to Lie, Femme, and Pass during IFFR 2027. The experimental project won RTM Pitch 2027 and examines algorithmic technologies through queer and feminist perspectives.

When will IFFR 2027 tickets go on sale?

Public ticket prices and a general ticket-sale date for IFFR 2027 have not yet been announced. Previous-edition prices currently visible on parts of the IFFR website apply to 2026 and should not be used to plan your 2027 budget.

The same applies to the detailed screening programme. At the time of this update, the dedicated IFFR 2027 programme page has not yet been populated with films.

IFFR normally releases its programme in stages towards the end of the year, followed later by the full timetable with individual screening times. We will update this page once the festival publishes confirmed 2027 ticket dates, prices and screening information.

Where will IFFR 2027 take place?

The complete list of IFFR 2027 screening venues has not yet been announced. LantarenVenster is confirmed as the location of RTM Day on 29 January.

As a guide to how widely the festival spreads through Rotterdam, the 2026 edition used venues including de Doelen, Pathé Schouwburgplein, Theater Rotterdam, Cinerama Filmtheater, Oude Luxor, KINO, LantarenVenster and Nieuwe Luxor. Katoenhuis in M4H was a major location for the Art Directions programme, while smaller events and installations appeared at additional cultural venues around the city.

Do not assume that every 2026 venue will return in exactly the same role in 2027. IFFR publishes the final screening locations alongside its programme and timetable, and we will update this guide when that information is confirmed.

IFFR Pro and CineMart 2027

IFFR is also an important meeting point for the international film industry. Its professional programmes connect filmmakers and producers with financiers, distributors, sales agents and other industry professionals.

CineMart 2027 runs from Sunday 31 January to Wednesday 3 February. IFFR launched CineMart in 1984 as a co-production market where film projects can meet potential financial and creative partners. Its Darkroom work-in-progress programme takes place during the same dates.

The CineMart project selection is expected to be announced by early December. Exact dates for the wider 2027 IFFR Pro Days have not yet been published, so we are leaving those out until IFFR confirms them.

Going to IFFR for the first time?

The biggest thing to know is that IFFR is spread across Rotterdam rather than contained within one festival complex. A day at the festival can mean moving between several cinemas and cultural venues, so always check the location as well as the start time when building your schedule.

The full programme can initially look rather enormous. Once the 2027 line-up is online, use the IFFR programme tools to narrow your choices rather than trying to absorb everything at once. Competitions, new filmmakers, special programmes, talks and Rotterdam-focused screenings all give you different ways into the festival.

Rotterdam Centraal is a useful starting point for many central festival locations, while venues on the Kop van Zuid and in other parts of the city are easily reached by metro, tram, bicycle or other public transport. Allow some travel time between screenings if your films are at different venues.

What happened at IFFR 2026?

The 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam ran from 29 January to 8 February 2026. The edition presented 441 films from 92 countries, including 217 world premieres.

IFFR recorded 266,806 festival visits, excluding press and industry screenings and events. Its professional programme welcomed 2,494 industry delegates, while the 2026 RTM Day attracted more than 3,300 visits.

The edition also introduced new elements including the Safe Harbour programme within CineMart and the Lightroom platform for immersive storytelling. The Rotterdam-focused programme included the world premiere of Rain in August by Ashley Röttjers.

Looking back at IFFR 2025

IFFR's 54th edition took place from 30 January to 9 February 2025 and presented 482 films from 94 countries, including 201 world premieres. The festival recorded 276,353 visits excluding press and industry screenings and events.

The 2025 edition also marked the arrival of Katoenhuis as a major venue for Art Directions and saw the launch of the Displacement Film Fund through IFFR's Hubert Bals Fund.

Keep track of IFFR 2027

The next major updates will be the film selections, detailed programme, screening locations, ticket prices and public sale date. Until those are officially announced, be careful with older IFFR pages that still display 2026 dates or prices.

We will keep this RotterdamStyle guide updated as more of IFFR 2027 is confirmed. The festival itself runs from 28 January to 7 February 2027.

HAPPENING 25 OCT '26 | APNA Divali Familie Festival returns to de Doelen on Sunday 25 October for a ten-hour celebration of music, food and culture. The family festival brings together Indian, Surinamese and Dutch traditions, with live entertainment, yoga, a sari show and plenty to eat throughout the day

Divali celebrations fill de Doelen

The festival runs from 13:00 to 23:00 in de Doelen's Grote Zaal. Organisers describe the programme as a meeting point between traditions from India, Suriname and the Netherlands, with Divali's themes of light, connection and togetherness at its centre.

Visitors can expect music alongside Indian and Surinamese food, cultural activities and demonstrations. The announced programme includes yoga and a colourful sari show highlighting clothing traditions connected to India and Suriname.

A festival for the whole family

APNA presents the day as a family celebration rather than a conventional concert, with activities spread across the afternoon and evening. Food, music and cultural presentations form the main ingredients, giving visitors plenty of time to move between different parts of the programme rather than arriving for one fixed performance.

There will also be a literary element. Rotterdam-based SMRTi Books has announced that it will bring its Boeken Bazaar to the festival, with children's books centred on Divali, culture and family.

De Doelen lists the event under its global, family and festival programming. The APNA Divali Familie Festival also forms part of the venue's 60th-anniversary season in 2026.

Tickets for APNA Divali 2026

Adult tickets range from €18 to €40, depending on the seating category. VIP tickets cost €40, Top Tier tickets €30, Tier 1 €25, Tier 2 €22 and Tier 3 €18. Children up to and including age 12 pay €10.50 in all categories. Prices include €3.50 in service costs per ticket.

Tickets are available directly through .

The festival takes place on Sunday 25 October 2026 from 13:00 to 23:00 at de Doelen, Schouwburgplein 50 in central Rotterdam.

How to get there

De Doelen is located directly on Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam city centre, a short walk from Rotterdam Centraal and close to the city's metro and tram network.

OCTOBER 2026 | Fenix joins Black Achievement Month as a new Rotterdam venue this October, with a programme spanning performance, Sudanese food, art and the return of the African Food Festival. The programme begins with Space of Becoming on 3 and 4 October and continues through the African Food Festival Winter Edition on 31 October and 1 November.

Fenix joins Black Achievement Month

Black Achievement Month takes place across the Netherlands each October, highlighting the work, stories and contributions of people from the African diaspora. The 2026 theme is Turning Black Excellence into Change, with particular attention on how talent, art and storytelling can lead to wider cultural and social change. Black Achievement Month was established in 2016 following an initiative by NiNsee, the National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery and its Legacy.

This year, Fenix on Katendrecht joins the programme as a Rotterdam location for the first time. The choice fits closely with the museum's wider focus on migration, identity and the movement of people and cultures. Its public ground-floor space, Plein, was specifically created as a freely accessible place for community programmes, food, performances and encounters.

During October, Fenix will also draw attention to works in its collection by Laetitia Ky, Seyni Awa Camara and Omar Victor Diop, connecting questions of identity, representation, heritage and strength with the Black Achievement Month theme.

Space of Becoming moves through Fenix

The first major event is the Rotterdam premiere of Space of Becoming by Sites of Memory during Afrovibes Festival on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October.

This is not a performance where you simply take a seat and watch from a theatre chair. Instead, you move through Fenix with the performers during an approximately 60-minute route combining dance, music, visual art and spoken word.

Scenes unfold around works already inside the museum, including Ugo Rondinone's The Sun, an eighteenth-century coromandel cabinet from Sri Lanka and Thania Petersen's tapestry Rampie and Layer II. The performers bring different languages, memories and artistic traditions into the work while examining how colonial power structures continue to affect people's lives.

Performances take place at 12:30 and 15:30 on Saturday 3 October, followed by a 15:30 performance on Sunday 4 October. The route is wheelchair accessible. Tickets cost €15 to €20 and provide access to the performance itself rather than the wider Fenix exhibitions.

Sudanese food becomes a shared story

On Thursday 15 October from 18:00 to 20:00, the programme moves to the table with Crossing Tables #14: Sudan Unbound on Plein.

Chefs Ranya and Abdelrahman from Napata invite guests to eat around the Al Seneia, a traditional shared serving platter. The way the food is served is as important as the dishes themselves, reflecting ideas of hospitality, generosity, equality and conversation.

The menu includes Sudanese dishes such as ta'amiya, a herb and spice falafel, agashi grilled chicken, slow-cooked aubergine and a seasonal vegetable dish with peanut sauce. Sudanese sweets and spiced coffee with cardamom and ginger complete the meal. Fenix

Napata was founded by Ranya and Abdelrahman Adam and presents Sudanese and Nubian-Sudanese cooking through family recipes and communal dining. At Fenix, the dinner adds stories, music, visual art and performance around the food, turning the meal into a wider introduction to Sudanese cultural heritage.

African Food Festival returns to Fenix

The month closes with a winter edition of the African Food Festival on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November at Plein.

Eight chefs will represent different African and diaspora cuisines, using their food to share stories about family, migration, memories and traditions. The programme extends beyond eating, with musicians, artists and performers contributing live music, spoken word, workshops and other activities.

Visitors will also be encouraged to participate rather than simply watch. Previous editions have combined food with creative workshops, talks, music, design and spaces devoted to African and Caribbean voices. The 2026 winter edition at Fenix is free to visit. Black Achievement Month's official programme confirms the African Food Festival at Fenix beginning on 31 October.

The return is particularly fitting after Fenix hosted a previous winter edition of the festival in 2025. This year's programme gives it a larger role within Black Achievement Month, connecting food directly with the month's focus on cultural expression and the African diaspora.

African Food Festival at Fenix in 2025. Photo: Houcem Bellakoud

Art adds another layer

You do not necessarily need to attend one of the scheduled events to encounter the Black Achievement Month theme at Fenix.

Among the works being highlighted is Omar Victor Diop's Diaspora 2014–2016. Diop's photographic series is already part of the Fenix collection and uses carefully staged portraits to explore the histories and representation of Africans in Europe. Fenix also features work by Laetitia Ky as part of its wider collection.

That gives October's programme several ways in: you can follow performers through the galleries, share Sudanese food around one table, spend a weekend exploring African cuisines and creativity, or encounter the month's themes through the artworks already inside the museum.

Diaspora 2014–2016 by Omar Victor Diop at Fenix. Photo: Titia Hahne

How to get there

Fenix is located on Katendrecht at Paul Nijghkade 5, 3072 AT Rotterdam. The museum's exhibitions are normally open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, while the freely accessible Plein stays open until 20:00 from Tuesday through Friday and until 17:00 at weekends. Individual Black Achievement Month events have their own times and ticket conditions.

Check the Fenix programme for tickets and the latest information.