Gstaad’s Summer Ritual: Where Elite Polo Meets Alpine Glamour
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From 20 to 23 August, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup brings international polo, equestrian excellence and the unmistakable sophistication of Gstaad to the heart of the Swiss Alps.
There are few places in Switzerland where sporting tradition, international glamour and an extraordinary landscape converge quite so naturally as Gstaad. Each summer, the village welcomes an event that has become inseparable from its identity: the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad, a tournament where elite equestrian sport unfolds against one of the most spectacular backdrops in Europe.
From 20 to 23 August 2026, the grass field beside Gstaad’s airport will once again become the stage for four days of high-level polo, hospitality and Alpine social life. The location alone makes the tournament exceptional. Few sporting events in the world place international polo so close to an active runway, with the mountains rising beyond the field and the village only moments away. Yet the enduring appeal of Gstaad’s polo tournament is not simply its setting. After more than two decades, it has acquired something that cannot be manufactured: a distinctive identity built on consistency, sporting credibility and an unmistakable sense of place.
At a time when luxury events increasingly compete for attention through constant novelty, Gstaad takes another approach. Its strength lies in knowing precisely what it is and delivering that experience with remarkable attention to detail. That philosophy begins with the field itself. For Pierre E. Genecand, the quality of the playing surface is not a secondary consideration but the foundation of the entire tournament. In the days leading up to the competition, he personally oversees the preparation of the grass, sometimes taking to the tractor himself to ensure that the ground reaches the required standard.
It is an unusually hands-on approach for an event of international stature, and one that says much about the character of the tournament. The welfare and performance of the horses depend on a surface that is safe, stable and carefully maintained. Before the elegance of the hospitality areas and the excitement of the competition comes the practical work of preparing the land. Once the field is ready, the tractor gives way to the dinner jacket. Genecand moves from organiser to host, welcoming players, partners and guests into an environment where the formal and the informal coexist with characteristic Gstaad ease.
“For the twenty-first time, I am organising this tournament my way, with a loyal team and a spirit that is entirely our own,” he says. “We do not seek to reinvent our model, but to hold ourselves to a constant standard of excellence, on the field and off it.”
The sporting programme remains at the centre of the occasion. Markus Gräff, Fabio and Luca Meier, Juan Pepa and Rupert Knauf are once again among the loyal team captains returning to Gstaad, each determined to assemble teams featuring some of the finest Argentine and English professionals on the international circuit. The complete player line-ups will be announced in due course, adding anticipation to a competition already recognised for its high level of play. But polo in Gstaad is never confined to four chukkas.
Around the field, the tournament becomes a social rendezvous where seasoned polo aficionados stand alongside curious newcomers. The atmosphere is polished but approachable, allowing spectators to experience the sport at close quarters without the sense of exclusivity that can sometimes surround elite competition.
Hospitality forms an important part of that experience. VIP lunches will be available throughout the tournament, while the Saturday evening gala dinner remains one of the defining moments of the week. The Dora Live Band will return to provide the evening’s soundtrack, continuing a tradition that has become closely associated with the tournament.
The event also extends beyond the polo ground. The team parade through the streets of Gstaad brings the players and horses into the village, while the surrounding festivities turn the tournament into one of the defining social occasions of the Alpine summer.
Importantly, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup remains open to everyone. Admission is free, food is available on site, including food trucks, and a dedicated children’s area ensures that the event can be enjoyed by families as well as dedicated polo followers. For those seeking a more exclusive experience, VIP hospitality and the gala dinner offer a more intimate expression of Gstaad’s celebrated art of entertaining. This balance international prestige without unnecessary distance may be the tournament’s greatest achievement.
Because ultimately, the attraction is not only the horses, the players or the competition. It is the rare feeling of being somewhere where sport and lifestyle still belong together: where tradition has not become rigid, where luxury remains understated and where the mountains provide the ultimate backdrop. For one August weekend, Gstaad becomes a crossroads of international polo, Swiss hospitality and Alpine sophistication a place where sporting excellence feels entirely at home.
The 2026 Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad takes place from 20 to 23 August 2026.
VIP reservations and gala dinner: Polo Gstaad reservations
Patrica Holdener
Editor In Chief
Luxe Magazine Switzerland
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