Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo 2025 returns to the spectacular desert landscape of AlUla from 17 to 18 January. The world’s first organised desert polo tournament promises an unforgettable experience combining world-class polo with cultural highlights and captivating entertainment.
The venue is the AlFursan Equestrian Village, which will open its doors to guests at midday on both days. Visitors can expect a lively atmosphere of DJ sets, live music and interactive experiences, while the matches will begin at 1:30 pm on Friday. Three consecutive matches, in which some of the biggest stars in polo will compete, are on the programme. After a short break to prepare the pitch and provide live entertainment, more exciting matches will follow from 3:45 pm. The evening will end with an exclusive networking session offering the opportunity for interesting encounters.
On Saturday, the stakes will be raised when the Wooden Spoon Match between the two bottom-placed teams kicks off at 12:30 p.m. This will be followed by the Semi-Final at 2:15 p.m. and finally the Grand Final at 4:00 p.m. The event will end with a celebratory award ceremony, where the winning teams of the Desert Polo Trophy will be crowned.
During the two days, guests can explore the Al Fursan Village grounds, which will be a lively meeting place with live performances, interactive attractions and cultural experiences. Children can let off steam in the Kids Zone with numerous activities and games. The experience is rounded off by a selection of high-quality food, creative drinks and exclusive polo merchandise.
The line-up of participants at this year’s tournament reads like a Who’s Who of polo. Led by Adolfo Cambiaso, founder of the legendary La Dolfina team and one of the best players of all time, his children Adolfo ‘Poroto’ Cambiaso Jr. and Mia Cambiaso will also be competing. They will be joined by other stars such as Pablo MacDonough, Nacho Figueras and Mille Hine. In addition, six teams made up of royal dignitaries such as Prince Sultan bin Khaled Al Faisal and Prince Abbas bin Ali, as well as international sponsors such as Sarah Siegel Magness and Mohammed ElSewedy, will compete in exciting matches for the coveted Desert Polo Trophy.
Organised by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Polo Federation, the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo has become a fixture in the Saudi sporting and cultural calendar. AlUla itself, with its iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Hegra and Dadan, provides the perfect backdrop for an event that masterfully combines history, sport and entertainment. With the AlUla Desert Polo, Saudi Arabia is sending a further signal of its rich equestrian tradition and its ambition to establish AlUla as a global centre of cultural and sporting excellence.
Ruth A. Yorke
Photos by Royal Commission for AlUla