JOHOR BARU: Some of the world’s top polo players will be heading to Johor for the inaugural Johor Super Crown Polo Tournament 2026 next week.
Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail is also expected to take to the field for the Royal Johor team in the 22-goal international tournament at the Royal Polo Grounds at Istana Pasir Pelangi.
Royal Johor Polo Club representative David Keyte said five teams will compete in the tournament, with about 190 horses prepared for the event, scheduled from Sept 1 to 6.
“We have about 180 horses prepared for the tournament, with a few more coming in the next few days, bringing the total to around 190.
“All the horses are supplied by the Royal Johor Polo Club, and some of the players have already arrived and begun training with the horses,” he said during a press conference at Istana Pasir Pelangi on Friday (Aug 28).
Keyte added that the tournament brings together five world-class teams featuring elite global talent, namely Royal Johor, Temasek, Korea Polo, JCorp and Digital Bridge.
“These teams are multinational, with many different countries represented, including Argentina, South Africa, the United States, New Zealand, India and South Korea,” he said.
The Johor Super Crown trophy, which will be presented to the tournament champion, was also officially unveiled during the press conference.
“The trophy symbolises the prestige of the tournament, the standard of excellence expected on the field and a new chapter in Johor’s long-standing polo heritage,” he said.
Pablo Pieres from the Royal Johor team, who arrived about 10 days before the tournament to prepare, hopes for good weather throughout the matches.
“Rain is one of the main challenges, but it is something beyond our control. We hope the current forecast holds, but as you know, the weather is never predictable. So, we will have to adapt,” he said.
Meanwhile, Temasek player Nachi Du Plessis described the upcoming matches as a thrilling prospect, as the tournament features some of the sport’s biggest names.
“You have players like Juan Martín Nero, Pablo Mac Donough and Pablo, who have won the Argentine Open, which is the biggest tournament in the world, multiple times,” he said.
The tournament, themed “Legacy In Motion”, is driven by a shared vision between Tunku Mahkota Ismail and Pieres to establish Johor as a premier destination on the international luxury sports circuit.
The event will be broadcast live globally via PoloLine.TV, bringing the spectacle of Royal Johor to an international audience.
The Royal Johor Polo Club was established more than a century ago and is among Asia’s oldest and most prestigious polo clubs, with its legacy deeply rooted in Johor’s royal heritage.
