This paper describes the process of testing and design of tension piles as fundaments of air‐supported structures for sports facilities. Two piles with different ratio between diameter and length are tested on axial static tensile load for designing purposes. The results are later compared with FEM numerical model. The obtained ultimate uplift capacity from site experiments is confirmed with the numerical model. The results from the numerical analysis regarding the shear and normal interface stresses are used to determine the soil‐pile friction angle δ. At the end, artificial neural networks were used to predict the uplift bearing capacity of piles with different geometry and soil conditions.