Bank Alfalah 62nd National Open Polo Championship commences on Today in Lahore
The tournament will also feature ten international players from Argentina, England, and Spain.
Bank Alfalah 62nd National Open Polo Championship commences on Tuesday in Lahore
Lahore (Sports Link): The Bank Alfalah 62nd National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2025 will commence Tuesday (March 04, 2025) at the Lahore Polo Club.
The announcement was made during a packed press conference by Lahore Polo Club President Malik Azam Hayat Noon, alongside Bank Alfalah GM Central Sufyan Younas, Area Manager Rizwan Saleem Khan, Senior Marketing Manager Atif Ghafoor, and club executive committee members Naseer Ahmed and Feroze Gulzar.
Azam Hayat Noon emphasized that the National Open Polo Championship is Pakistan’s most prestigious and significant polo event. He extended gratitude to Bank Alfalah for consistently sponsoring this mega event over the years and hoped that this partnership will go a long way to support this game of kings and knights.
The tournament features five teams: HN, FG, DS, BN/Newage, and Olympia/AZB. The teams will compete over two weeks, with the final scheduled for Sunday (March 16), where President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, will grace the event as the chief guest.
Speaking at the occasion, Sufyan Younas, General Manager Central of Bank Alfalah, reaffirmed the bank’s all-out support for sports, particularly polo. He highlighted the longstanding partnership between Bank Alfalah and the Lahore Polo Club, expressing confidence that this collaboration will continue.
Following the press conference, the National Open Trophy was unveiled. The tournament will also feature ten international players from Argentina, England, and Spain. Additionally, one umpire will be from England, another from Argentina, while the commentator will be from Ireland, making the event more prestigious, challenging and exciting.
Highlighting the rich legacy of the country’s premier polo event, LPC President Malik Azam Hayat Noon said:
“The National Open Polo Championship was first played at the iconic Lahore Polo Club in 1963. Originally known as the El Effendi Cup, it was introduced by Brig. Hissam El Effendi and retained this name until 1976. In 1977, the tournament was renamed in honor of the Father of the Nation, becoming the National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup.
“Now in its 62nd year, the tournament has grown in prestige, earning widespread recognition within the global polo community. It continues to attract top-tier professional players and umpires from around the world, as well as enthusiastic spectators, including members of the diplomatic community in Pakistan,” he added.
