LAHORE (February 17, 2026): The historic 97th Allied Bank Punjab Polo Cup 2026 has officially commenced at the historic Lahore Polo Club, marking another chapter in Pakistan’s oldest and most celebrated sporting tradition.
The announcement was made by Lahore Polo Club President Malik Azam Hayat Noon at a ceremony attended by Allied Bank’s Group Head Marketing and Corporate Communications Syed Nabeel Ahmed, Group Head BSG Usama Bin Naseer, Group Head CRBG Hasnain Raza Mirza, Executive Committee Member Feroz Gulzar, senior club member Agha Najeeb Raza, Club Secretary Maj (R) Amjad Ghafoor, and other distinguished guests.
Allied Bank has extended its sponsorship to two of the club’s premier high-goal tournaments, the Punjab Cup and the National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup, reaffirming its commitment to promoting sports in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Malik Azam Hayat Noon highlighted the historic importance of the event, saying that the Punjab Polo Cup is the oldest sporting event in Pakistan’s history, continuously held at the Lahore Polo Club for the past 141 years. This year marks the 97th edition of the Punjab Cup and the 57th edition of the National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup.
He emphasised that the Lahore Polo Club has preserved not only a remarkable sporting legacy but also a vital part of Lahore’s cultural heritage. According to him, no other sport in Pakistan boasts trophies as old and historically significant as those maintained by the club.
Four teams are competing in this year’s Punjab Polo Cup: BN Polo, Diamond Paints/Master Paints, FG Polo, and Lahore Polo Club. Each team features two foreign players, with international talent arriving from Iran and Argentina, adding global flair and competitiveness to the tournament.
Syed Nabeel Ahmed, Group Head Marketing and Corporate Communications at Allied Bank, said the bank values sports development and has invested significantly in multiple sporting initiatives this year as part of its broader commitment to building a healthy and vibrant society. He noted that Allied Bank has historically supported polo, often referred to as the “Sport of Kings”, and will continue its patronage in the future.
Club member Agha Najeeb Raza expressed special gratitude to Allied Bank’s management for supporting polo and contributing to the promotion of equestrian sports in Pakistan.
The tournament’s opening match proved to be a gripping contest. Diamond Paints/Master Paints edged out BN Polo in a nail-biting finish, securing a 6–5 victory in the closing moments of the game. Amirreza Behboudi led the charge for Diamond Paints/Master Paints with four goals, while Facundo Retamar Carnero and Mir Huzaifa Ahmed added one goal each. For BN Polo, Hamza Mawaz Khan scored a commendable three goals, and Tito Ruiz Guinazu netted two.
The action continues today (Wednesday), with FG Polo set to face Lahore Polo Club in what promises to be another exciting encounter.