LAHORE: The Lahore Smart City Polo in Pink Cup 2026 got under way at the Lahore Polo Club with a record participation of 14 teams and international women players, as the event continued its campaign to promote breast cancer awareness through sport.
The week-long tournament will conclude with the final on Sunday.
Announcing the event at a press conference, Lahore Polo Club President Agha Najeeb Raza said this year’s edition was the largest in the tournament’s history. He said 14 female polo players were featuring in the event, including eight from abroad and six from Pakistan.
Players from England, the Netherlands and Iran are taking part in the tournament, reflecting its growing international reach.
Agha Najeeb Raza said the Lahore Polo Club had been organising the initiative since 2014, while Lahore Smart City and Pink Ribbon had supported the cause for the past eight years. He thanked the sponsors for helping expand the campaign and promote awareness about breast cancer.
Lahore Smart City CEO Imran Zahid reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to the initiative, saying its continued support was aimed at spreading awareness among Pakistani women. COO Zeeshan Qureshi said sport played an important role in developing a healthy society and promoting meaningful social causes.
Pink Ribbon Pakistan’s Dr Umar Aftab, who has worked on breast cancer awareness for around 20 years, welcomed the initiative and underlined the importance of sustained public education and awareness campaigns.
“With its blend of international competition and social awareness, Polo in Pink continues to use the popularity of polo to encourage breast cancer awareness and support women’s participation in sport,” he said.
The participating players also welcomed the opportunity to support the cause. Iranian players Sarah and Saba Yaghoobi expressed enthusiasm for competing in Lahore, while international participants praised the venue and the purpose of the tournament. Pakistani players said the event offered them a valuable chance to improve their skills by playing alongside international polo players while supporting an important cause.
The teams have been divided into two pools. Pool A comprises Newage Cables/Master Paints, Diamond Paints, AOS, Polo U Khano, Leather Galleria, DIN/FG and SQ Seagold/Master Paints. Pool B includes FG/DIN, Platinum Homes, Guard Group, Dagia Polo/Chakor Ventures, Jinnah Polo Team, Robson International and Sheikho/Barry’s/Diamond Paints.
Lahore Polo Club executive committee members Ahmed Nawaz Tiwana, Taimoor Ali Malik, Dr Kamran Zaidi and Faisal Khan, along with club secretary Major Amjad Ghafoor (retd), attended the launch.
Meanwhile, action-packed matches entertained spectators as the participating teams displayed impressive polo skills and competitive play.
FG/DIN Polo emerged victorious under the American system, winning both of their two-chukker encounters. They opened their campaign with a 5-2 win over Leather Galleria before edging SQ Seagold/Master Paints 5-4 in a close contest.
In the second match of the day, also played under the American system, Robson International produced an impressive performance by defeating Jinnah Polo Team and Sheikhoo/Barry’s/Diamond Paints to qualify for the next round.
