Fifth time lucky for the Meier brothers. Albinati Aeronautics beat Kielder Agro Group 8-7 in the final of the 2026 Hublot Polo Gold Cup in Gstaad, Switzerland, giving Fabio and Luca Meier their first title there after four previous appearances in the final.
A one-goal Alpine final
The Gstaad Gold Cup is one of the highlights of the Swiss polo summer, played in the Alps with a mountain backdrop.
Adrian Laplacette was named best professional player as the tournament’s top scorer, with 17 goals. In the match for third place, Hublot beat Gstaad Palace 7-5. Both the final and the match for third place were decided by two goals or fewer, which says a lot about the standard of the field.
It is always special to see a long-standing ambition fulfilled, and four finals without a win must have felt like a long wait. Fabio Meier also appeared earlier this summer in the Italian scene, winning the Coppa Duca d’Aosta at the Roma Polo Club in June with Bien Mirada, so he has had a good year all round.
Sotogrande Gold Cup under way
At the Ayala Polo Club, the Gold Cup stage of the International Tournament began on 17 August and runs to 29 August, with high, medium and low handicap categories. Amanara retained the Silver Cup last weekend, and Dubai, the beaten finalists, will be looking to turn things around. The Gold Cup finals are scheduled for 28 and 29 August.
Deauville’s finals fortnight
In Normandy, the Coupe d’Or and the Bronze Cup both started on 17 August. The Coupe d’Or, at 14 and 16 goals, runs to 30 August, and the Bronze Cup, for 6 and 8 goal players, runs to 29 August. Talandracas, who won the Coupe d’Argent last weekend, are among the teams with momentum.
What we are watching
- Sotogrande: can Amanara complete a Silver and Gold double?
- Deauville: Talandracas will want to follow their Coupe d’Argent with the main prize
- England: the Autumn Nations Tournament at Guards begins on 26 August
As the summer reaches its peak, we will be following every final that matters.
Sources: Polo Times (Gstaad), Polo Press (Sotogrande calendar), Polo Press (Deauville calendar)
