Ascona Polo Cup opens 10 days of horse sports on Lake Maggiore

The 16th Ascona Polo Cup runs Sept. 4-6 in Ascona, Switzerland, with six teams from five nations, a public grandstand and a charity auction for children. The tournament kicks off 10 days of horse sports on Lake Maggiore, followed by the CSI Ascona show jumping event.

Why it matters: - The Ascona Polo Cup is designed to bring polo to a broad public, not just a niche audience. - The event also serves as an economic and cultural draw for the Ascona-Locarno region. - Proceeds from the tombola and auction support the Styger Foundation for children. - The tournament opens a 10-day stretch of horse sports on Lake Maggiore, with CSI Ascona starting four days after the polo final.

What happened: - The Polo Club Ascona is hosting the 16th Ascona Polo Cup from Sept. 4-6, 2026. - Six teams with 18 players and riders from five nations are competing in arena polo on sand in the center of Ascona, on Lake Maggiore. - The public grandstand is open to families, vacationers and local residents. - A parade through Ascona’s historic center is scheduled for Saturday. - The event takes place in Ascona, which was named Switzerland’s “Village of the Year” for 2025.

The details: - Arena polo in Ascona is played on an 80-by-50-meter field, with three players per side. - The sand surface contains felt pieces to add structure, absorb movement and give horses a secure footing. - The compact field keeps the action close to spectators and makes the pace easy to follow. - The tournament’s wandering trophy was handcrafted by a Swiss artist. - A jury will award the three best jungle-themed outfits for the first time. - Friday is set as a “simply white” beach party, Saturday as parade and gala night under the theme “Welcome to the Jungle!”, and Sunday as the final. - The six teams are Styger & Partner AG, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Team Charly Zenger, PKB Private Bank, Seven Group and Private Fine. - The players come from Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Great Britain. - Styger & Partner AG enters as the defending champion. - The lineup includes Stefan Locher, Nik Rogerson and Janik Oertli for Styger & Partner AG; Therence Cusmano, Matteo Beffa and Pedro Soria for Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte; Frank Kirschke, Finley Bright and Augustin Kronhaus for Team Charly Zenger; Adrian Fuchs, Stefan Roth and Thommy Gräff for PKB Private Bank; Romy Schneider, Moritz Haendel and Francisco MacLoughlin for Seven Group; and Peter Cromm, Leopold Cromm and Adrian Laplacette Jr. for Private Fine. - The tournament will produce its own newspaper, TV channel and news portal at news.poloclubascona.ch. - The APC newspaper will be bilingual in German and Italian and will include a polo guide for beginners, sponsor interviews and background stories. - APC-TV will show match scenes, atmosphere and evening events. - The news portal will publish news, results, interviews and photos during the three tournament days and remain available afterward. - Speaker Jan-Erik Franck, known as “The Voice of Polo,” will call the matches. - The roster of partners includes Oona Caviar, Blackforest Polo Gin, Appenzeller Bier, Delea Vini, MiU24 BusinessBaumarkt, Kurfürst von Dalberg Strauch Destillerie, Kasia with the ri:nyu haircare line, Mount Med Resort and others. - The event is supported by about twenty partners from Switzerland, Germany and France. - The press release provides contact details for Matteo Beffa at Polo Club Ascona and lists the club’s Instagram account as the club’s social media page.

Between the lines: - Ascona is positioning polo as an accessible, local event rather than an exclusive sport. - The public parade, open grandstand and broad media coverage are meant to pull spectators into the tournament experience. - The regional tourism and hospitality angle is central, with hotels, restaurants, retail and service businesses expected to benefit. - The new media setup suggests the club wants the tournament to live beyond the field and reach people who cannot attend in person. - The emphasis on costumes, parties and the town setting shows the event is as much a social festival as a sporting competition. - The quote from Swiss Polo Association president Dr. Stefan A. Locher underscores the tournament’s close connection to the public. - Vizebürgermeisterin Michela Ris links the event to community identity and quality of life. - The release frames the club as a community hub; that message is echoed by sponsor and player remarks about loyalty, atmosphere and passion.

What's next: - The polo tournament runs first, followed by CSI Ascona four days later. - Organizers will award the tournament trophy after the Sunday final. - The new media channels will continue to publish coverage throughout the event and remain accessible afterward. - The title race will determine whether Styger & Partner AG keeps the trophy or a different team takes over.

The bottom line: - Ascona is turning early September into a multi-day showcase for horse sport, tourism and local community life.