The King Power Gold Cup, also known as the British Open Polo Championship, is the highest-profile polo tournament in Great Britain. Played at Cowdray Park Polo Club in Midhurst, West Sussex, the 2026 edition runs from June 23 through July 19 with a full knockout bracket spanning quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. Cowdray Park is known as “The Home of British Polo,” and the Gold Cup is the tournament that earns that reputation.
The 2026 schedule features six rounds of 6-chukker matches at the 22-goal handicap. Opening matches begin June 23, with a family polo day on June 29, quarter-finals on July 11-12, semi-finals on July 15, and the final on July 19. New for 2026, the British Ladies Open Final will be played alongside the Gold Cup Final on July 19, expanding the scope of the day’s programme. Cowdray Park operates 11 fields and holds 14,000 spectators, with the Sussex countryside providing one of polo’s most beautiful settings.
The timezone is Europe/London. During the tournament (late June through mid-July), British Summer Time applies at UTC+1. The final on July 19 at 15:00 BST is 14:00 UTC, 10:00 in New York, 11:00 in Buenos Aires, and 23:00 in Tokyo. Check whatisthetime.now/midhurst for local time in the United Kingdom.
The Gold Cup follows the Cartier Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club, completing the two-tournament arc of the British high-goal season. Players including Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo Mac Donough, and Facundo Pieres have all won the Gold Cup, which is the British equivalent of winning a national championship. The trophy has been contested since 1956, and its roll of honour reads as a history of the sport’s greatest players and teams.
Winning the Gold Cup at Cowdray Park remains one of the defining achievements in polo. The combination of a pure knockout format, 22-goal handicap, and the atmosphere of a venue steeped in the sport’s traditions creates a tournament where every match carries weight.