The Palm Beach County Sports Commission will host the XII Federation of International Polo (FIP) World Polo Championship in the United States for only the second time in the event’s history and the first time in 24 years. This FIP World Polo Championship is the sport of polo’s biggest stage and will attract the best players from around the world to the National Polo Center in the Village of Wellington from October 29 – November 6, 2022.
The FIP World Polo Championship is an international competition that brings together polo players from all over the world. Representing the top 10-goal to 14-goal teams from across the globe, eight countries will contend for the highest honor in international polo competition during the XII FIP World Polo Championship.
The XII FIP World Polo Championship semi-finals and finals will be televised on ESPN. This event will also air live on Global Polo TV (GPTV), the world’s premier digital destination for polo. All games are internationally distributed to more than 150 nations.
Nearly 200 participants, which include the polo players along with their families and equestrian sports support staff, will travel to The Palm Beaches. The players and their support teams are expected to stay in Palm Beach County for between two and three weeks. In addition to the players, over 200 event-related exhibitors, sponsors, and representatives from the FIP and IOC (International Olympic Committee) will attend. Moreover, this event is expected to draw approximately 2,500 traveling spectators and polo enthusiasts, which originate primarily from Latin American nations, Europe, and across the host nation (U.S.).
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission expects this event will create over 4,000 overnight accommodations for The Palm Beaches. Additionally, more than $5 million in economic impact is projected for Palm Beach County.
This event was secured through a bid submitted by the United States Polo Association (USPA)/ U.S. Polo Assn. A determining factor in winning this bid was the National Polo Center (NPC), which is in the Village of Wellington and will serve as the primary venue. Spanning nearly 250 acres, NPC is the largest and most spectator-friendly polo facility in the United States. NPC currently features five polo fields to accommodate the XII FIP World Polo Championship. The Valiente Polo Farm will also serve as a host site.
“We are putting in a lot of resources to make this a world-class event,” shared FIP United States Ambassador and USPA President Tony Coppola via press release. “No stone has been left unturned. The string of horses we are going to provide will be great and the facilities will be fantastic and at their prime. The USPA’s goal is to make this a world-class tournament and showcase what we have now that we own NPC.”
Saturday, October 29
Zone A
9:30am ET: Game 1 – Mexico vs. Argentina at Valiente Polo Farm
11:30am ET: Game 2 – Pakistan vs. Spain at Valiente Polo Farm
Zone B
1:30pm ET: Game 3 – Italy vs. Uruguay at Valiente Polo Farm
3:30pm ET: Game 4 – Opening Ceremony and Australia vs. USA match at NPC Field One*
Monday, October 31
Zone A
9:30am ET: Game 5 – Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 at Valiente Polo Farm
11:30am ET: Game 6 – Winner Game 2 vs. Loser Game 1 at Valiente Polo Farm
Zone B
1:30pm ET: Game 7 – Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 at Valiente Polo Farm
3:30pm ET: Game 8 – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 at Valiente Polo Farm
Wednesday, November 2
Zone B
9:30am ET: Game 9 – Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 at Valiente Polo Farm
11:30am ET: Game 10 – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 at Valiente Polo Farm
Zone A
1:30pm ET: Game 11 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 at Valiente Polo Farm
3:30pm ET: Game 12 – Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 1 at Valiente Polo Farm
Friday, November 4
12:00pm ET: Semifinal 1 – First Place Zone A Team vs. Second Place Zone B Team at NPC
3:00pm ET: Semifinal 2 – First Place Zone B Team vs. Second Place Zone A Team at NPC
Sunday, November 6
12:00pm ET: Bronze Medal Final at NPC
3:00pm ET: XII FIP World Championship Final at NPC Field One*
*Denotes a ticketed event
For more information and updates, please visit the FIP World Polo Championship landing page.
