Polo in Saudi Arabia

The Zone E Playoff of the II FIP Arena Polo World Championship took place in western Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the impressive Nofa Equestrian Resort. The event featured two national teams from the region: Iran and Pakistan, in pursuit of a coveted spot at the global championship to be held in Virginia, USA, from October 5–12, 2025. After a competitive two-leg showdown between Iran and Pakistan, Team Iran emerged victorious with an aggregate score of 32–30. The Iranian squad, known as Team Melli, initially suffered a narrow 17–14 loss in the first match but mounted a powerful comeback in the second, winning 19–13 to secure their qualification. The team was composed of Amirreza Behbudi, Mohamad Reza Behboudi, and Bahador Babai. Additional members of the delegation included Esmail Emami and Amir Hoosein. The medal ceremony was attended by FIP President Piero Dillier and Saudi Polo Federation CEO Faisal bin Duwaiyes, who emphasized the significance of hosting such international events for the Kingdom’s growing sports portfolio. He also highlighted the technical value this event brought to local polo professionals.