AlUla Desert Polo 2026 Schedule And Star-Studded Teams Announced For Fifth Edition

AlUla Desert Polo will return for its 5th edition from January 16-17, 2026, turning the historic desert landscape into a focal point for international polo. The event, organised by the Royal Commission for AlUla, will feature elite competition, luxury hospitality and entertainment within a three-day programme built around two days of matches.

Across those two competition days, six teams will play nine matches at Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Equestrian Village. A total of 18 players are confirmed, including leading professionals and royal participants, who will compete in front of spectators drawn by both the sporting level and the dramatic desert setting.

The professional line-up includes David "Pelón" Stirling Jr., Pablo MacDonough, Ignacio Figueras, Lia Salvo, Catalina Maria Lavinia and Felix Alejo Ortiz de Taranco Stirling. Royals and local players will join these professionals on the field, reflecting AlUla’s long-standing links with horses and polo while adding regional representation to the international roster.

Team patrons backing AlUla Desert Polo 2026 are Alejandro Antonio Poma Raskosky, Babar Naseem, Naveen Jindal, Venkatesh Jindal, Angus David St John Paradice and Jennifer Rae Luttrell Benardoni. Their involvement will support squad formation and preparation, with each patron contributing to the competitive structure of the six-team format throughout the nine scheduled games.

Chief Sports Officer at Royal Commission for AlUla Ziad AlSuhaibani said: "AlUla Desert Polo has quickly become an iconic event that encapsulates elegance, elite sport, culture and fashion, to offer an experience unlike anything else. This event embodies AlUla’s incredible ability to offer visitors luxury, elegance, culture and heritage through immersive and unforgettable experiences, and has once again attracted some of the world’s best talent to compete in an iconic setting for three days of unforgettable sport."

The programme begins with a formal team presentation ahead of match play, setting the scene for guests and participants. Spectators can expect premium hospitality options and curated entertainment around the polo schedule, aligning high-level sport with cultural experiences designed to highlight AlUla’s landscape, heritage sites and modern visitor facilities.

For those seeking closer contact with the sport, the Polo Players Circle add-on builds on the Premium Pass. This option provides guided access to the field before or after selected matches. Guests can meet players, take photographs and receive exclusive souvenirs linked to AlUla Desert Polo 2026.

Since launching in 2020, AlUla Desert Polo has become a regular feature of the AlUla Moments calendar, which showcases sport, arts, culture, discovery and heritage throughout the year. Upcoming sports events around the same period include professional cycling, trail running and endurance horse racing, as outlined below.{TABLE_1}

With inputs from SPA