The King Power Gold Cup is the British Open, the national championship of polo in Great Britain, and winning it at Cowdray Park is the defining achievement of the English summer season. The Gold Cup has been played at Cowdray since 1956, and the venue has earned its reputation as “The Home of British Polo” by hosting the sport’s most prestigious tournament in one of its most beautiful settings. The 2026 edition runs from June 23 through July 19, with a full knockout bracket spanning six rounds of 6-chukker matches.
Cowdray Park on Gold Cup day is English country sport at its finest. The 14,000-capacity ground sits in the West Sussex countryside, framed by ancient oaks and the dramatic ruins of Cowdray House, a Tudor manor destroyed by fire in 1793. The ruins provide a backdrop that no other polo venue can match. Players ride past 500 years of English history every time they take the field. The crowd is a mix of committed polo fans, country families, and the curious who come for the atmosphere and stay for the drama.
The 2026 schedule features opening matches on June 23, 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. The pure knockout format means every match carries elimination stakes, producing an intensity that builds through four weeks of competition. Cowdray Park operates 11 fields across the estate, more than any other venue in British polo, and the Sussex downland setting is widely considered one of the most beautiful in the sport.
The Gold Cup has been won by the greatest names in polo. Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo Mac Donough, and Facundo Pieres have all lifted the trophy here. The roll of honour since 1956 reads as a history of the sport itself. Argentine professionals who travel to England for the summer treat the Gold Cup as the prize that justifies the trip. Winning the British Open at Cowdray, in front of a crowd that understands the sport and a setting steeped in its traditions, carries a prestige that extends well beyond the United Kingdom.
The timezone is Europe/London. During the tournament (late June through mid-July), British Summer Time (UTC+1) applies. The final on July 19 at 15:00 BST translates to 10:00 AM in New York, a Sunday morning slot. For fans in Buenos Aires, it is 11:00 local time. Viewers in Tokyo face a 23:00 start, late but still same-day viewing. For those in Dubai at 18:00 Gulf Standard Time, it is prime evening territory. Check whatisthetime.now/midhurst for live 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. Where the Queen’s Cup is the royal stage, the Gold Cup is the championship. Together, May through July in England becomes a continuous season of 22-goal polo that draws the best players on the planet to some of the most storied grounds in the sport.