The World Polo League opens its 2026 season on Sunday, February 8, marking the eighth season of top-level 26-goal polo with the Sterling Cup Final at Grand Champions Polo Club. The Boca Raton team of Artemio Figueras (3), Nic Roldan(7), Alejandro Novillo Astrada(7), and Fred Mannix(6) will take on DUS featuring Marc Ganzi(1), Barto Castagnola(10), Paquito de Narvaez(7), and Matías Gonzalez(4) in a highly anticipated showdown. The Sterling Cup Final is set for a 4:00 p.m. start on Field 2, launching the season with championship-level intensity.
In last year’s Sterling Cup final Globalport won in a thrilling double-overtime victory over defending champion Maltese Falcons, 12–11, in one of the most exciting finals in Grand Champions Polo Club history. Argentine star Barto Castagnola was named MVP after scoring a game-high 11 goals, including the dramatic game-winner in the eighth chukker. Despite an in-game lineup change and constant lead changes, Globalport’s resilience and Castagnola’s clutch performance sealed the prestigious title.
The World Polo League (WPL) was founded in 2018 with a singular mission: to preserve the tradition and excellence of 26-goal polo at the highest level of the sport. Its creation followed a pivotal announcement in September 2017 by the United States Polo Association (USPA), which established 22 goals as the maximum level of polo to be played beginning in 2019, affecting marquee tournaments such as the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup, and the U.S. Open.
In response, the WPL emerged as a global stage dedicated to maintaining the intensity, skill, and heritage of true 26-goal competition. Today, the World Polo League stands as the only organization outside of Argentina to consistently present 26-goal polo, attracting elite players from around the world and preserving a level of play that defines the sport at its most competitive and historic peak.