Nigeria will seek to secure a place at the 2027 World Polo Championship when it hosts India, Iran and Pakistan in the Zone E qualifying playoffs in Abuja from November 9 to 16.
The Nigerian Polo Association announced that the four national teams would compete at the Guards Polo Club for the sole qualifying ticket to the XIII Federation of International Polo World Polo Championship, scheduled for February 2027 in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
The Abuja competition will feature six decisive matches, with fixtures scheduled for November 11, 13 and 15. The final match day will determine the country that advances to the global tournament.
Zone E covers member nations across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, making the Abuja playoffs the region’s route to the championship.
Nigerian Polo Association Chairman Suleman Abubakar said hosting the event would showcase the country’s polo tradition and give its players an opportunity to compete for a place among the world’s leading teams.
“To see Nigeria and Nigerian polo showcased on the global polo map in this way is a matter of immense significance,” Abubakar said.
He expressed confidence in the national squad’s chances, adding: “Our squad is made up of the very best players this country has to offer, and they are approaching this with real focus. Qualifying is a realistic target.”
The Abuja playoffs form part of the global qualification process for the championship, which is contested at the 10- to 14-goal level. The United States has already qualified from Zone A after defeating Mexico 6-4 at the National Polo Centre in Wellington, Florida, in May. The Zone C playoffs have been contested in Chantilly, France, while the Sub-Zone B series is being played in Peru and Chile this month.
Nigeria’s hosting role comes as the association seeks to build on a polo tradition stretching back more than a century. The Lagos Polo Club was established in 1904, while the Nigerian Polo Association was founded in 1925.
The game’s early development was shaped in northern Nigeria. Historical records include a Katsina team featuring three sons of the Emir of Katsina competing for the Georgian Cup in Kano, while a later Emir presented the Cowdray Cup. The late Emir of Katsina, Sir Usman Nagogo, remains widely revered as a pioneer of Nigerian polo.
Nigerian players have also shared the field with internationally celebrated figures. The late Lieutenant Colonel Ahmadu Yakubu, for instance, played alongside prominent names including the then Prince Charles, now King Charles III.
Abubakar said one of the distinctive features of the sport in Nigeria was its following beyond the traditional polo-playing community.
“Perhaps what makes us most distinctive is that here, polo is not only an elite sport. It has a genuine following among people from every walk of life,” he said, pointing to the crowds that attend competitions such as the Georgian Cup, Majekodunmi Cup and Nigerian Cup.
The association said Nigerian polo was expanding through private clubs, improved playing facilities and horses, professional development and the emergence of young players from member clubs stretching from Lagos to Katsina. Women’s polo is also gaining ground, building on the path opened by Neku Atawodi, widely recognised as Nigeria’s first professional female polo player.
Nigeria is now home to the largest polo community on the African continent, according to the association.
Beyond sport, the NPA described the international tournament as an opportunity to promote investment, tourism and cultural diplomacy. Polo supports a wider network of activities, including horse breeding, veterinary services, feed production, farriery, grooming, training and stable management, as well as hospitality, transport, media, fashion and event services.
Abuja’s position as the nation’s capital and an international travel hub is expected to provide a platform for visiting teams, officials, diplomats, business leaders and supporters during the week-long event.
The association is also pursuing a broader development agenda under Abubakar’s chairmanship. Its priorities include establishing a National Polo Centre in the Kyami District near Abuja’s international airport, developing the Nigerian Open into a regular fixture on the global polo calendar, and expanding women’s and youth polo across the country.
The proposed centre is envisaged as a permanent base for the national team and clubs, as well as a venue for future international competitions.
The NPA said it would host business leaders, public officials, diplomats and polo patrons from Nigeria and the participating countries during the playoffs. It is also seeking corporate partners, with sponsorship packages offering brand visibility, hospitality opportunities and association with the tournament.
The association said the competition offered Nigeria an opportunity to strengthen its international polo standing while building relationships that could extend beyond the final match.
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