The U.S. Open Polo Championship is the most prestigious polo tournament in the United States and the final leg of the Gauntlet of Polo. First played in 1904, it is the oldest high-goal polo tournament in America. The 2026 edition runs from April 1 through April 26 at the USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida, concluding a three-month, three-tournament arc that begins with the C.V. Whitney Cup in February.
The tournament operates at a 22-goal handicap with 6-chukker matches in a league-plus-knockout format. As the culmination of the Gauntlet, the U.S. Open carries the most weight of the three events. A team that has won the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup enters the U.S. Open with the Gauntlet on the line, a level of pressure that few tournaments in any sport can match. The 2026 edition features ESPN broadcast coverage commentated by Chris Fowler, bringing high-goal polo to a national television audience.
Wellington operates in the America/New_York timezone. During April, Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) applies. The final on April 26 at 15:00 EDT is 19:00 in London, 20:00 in Central Europe, and 04:00 the following day in Tokyo. For viewers in Buenos Aires, the 15:00 start is 16:00 local time. Check whatisthetime.now/wellington for live local time.
The U.S. Open has been won by some of polo’s most legendary teams and players. Adolfo Cambiaso, the sport’s all-time greatest, has competed at Wellington with The Dolfina Tamera. Polito Pieres, rated 10-goal in the USA, leads Coca-Cola, while Poroto Cambiaso anchors Scone. The final day at the National Polo Center regularly draws thousands of spectators and produces some of the most intense polo played anywhere in the world.
Achieving the Gauntlet, winning all three legs in a single season, remains among the rarest accomplishments in the sport. The U.S. Open final is where that story either completes or falls short.