Enjoy Polo in Sotogrande: Clubs and tournaments in 2025

Discover and enjoy polo in Sotogrande. We'll tell you about the season's best tournaments so you don't miss a thing!

Polo is an exciting and action-packed game of skill. Teams of four fierce competitors mount their horses and grab their polo mallets for an intense 7½ minute chukker, with the aim of galloping down the field and scoring as many goals as possible. It’s a real spectacle of horsemanship, coordination and sporting prowess, not to mention beautiful polo ponies.

Sotogrande is the epicentre of polo on the Costa del Sol, with a long history of the sport, several clubs and schools and top-level players competing in tournaments. You can both watch and play polo in Sotogrande during a holiday to the Costa del Sol and we’d definitely recommend catching a chukker or too if time allows.

In this article, we’ll be explaining why Sotogrande is the polo capital of the area, where you can learn to play polo and the upcoming tournaments that you can watch.

Polo in Sotogrande, a bit of history

Polo is actually one of the oldest team sports, dating back to the sixth century BC. Today it is played professionally in 16 countries and the sport is growing in popularity with both spectators and players. It has a rich history in Spain, dating back to 1870, when the first club was opened in Jerez.

Sotogrande didn’t even exist back then! But one of the very first things that the founding family did, was to build a polo field, just a year after it was founded. That was because the nephew of the founder Enrique Zobel was a huge polo fan and player, and President of the Manila Polo Club. This original field which opened in 1965 is now part of the Santa Maria Polo Club and still central to polo in Sotogrande to this day.

Since the early days of polo in Sotogrande, the sport has grown in popularity, locally and globally and we now have four polo clubs in Sotogrande itself and more nearby. There are also excellent polo and riding schools and highly popular tournaments, which attract the premier players and thousands of spectators each year.

Best polo clubs in Sotogrande

As we mentioned, the Santa Maria Polo Club is the area’s first club and still stands as one of the best polo clubs in the world. From that very first field in 1965, Santa María Polo Club has grown to boast seven polo grounds, four of which are deemed World Class. They also have stables, with two arenas for horse riding and an additional polo ground at their Puente de Hierro site, nearby. They have polo clinics where you can try polo and also hold classes for children and adults to learn polo and polo wheel.

The Ayala Polo Club is a newer club, but with a great history, as it’s run by the son of the man who brought polo to Sotogrande. He is leading the club and aiming to turn it into one of the best polo clubs in the world. They have three professional polo fields, 3 training tracks, 1 covered riding arena, 3 private stables and 400 stalls, daily polo practices, polo classes and polo tournaments.

Polo Valley was founded in 2015 to make polo accessible and offer a premier polo facility, which is welcoming to all. They offer beginners riding lessons and polo lessons to introduce adults to the wonderful world of polo, including an immersive one-week programme to take you from novice to accomplished polo player. There are also kids’ lessons, summer polo camps and even a family polo holiday including on site accommodation. They also organize club chukkas and training for experienced players, and experiences for novices and experienced riders alike. Their facilities include stables and care for polo ponies.

The Dos Lunas Club specialises in both dressage and polo and they have two polo fields, two training grounds, 54 pens, two grass practice fields and an all-weather exercise ground.

Iridike Polo Club is a welcoming club and school, which has regular tournaments and offers coaching for kids and adults at all levels. They have polo fields and stables, horse riding tracks and a tacking field. It’s particularly well known for its kids’ polo program and a range of polo packages.

Polo tournaments in Sotogrande in 2025

The biggest polo tournament in Sotogrande is the International Polo Tournament, which is held from late July to the end of August each year. This takes place at the Santa Maria Polo Club and features wonderful matches, as well as a shopping area, dining area and great after polo parties.

Confusingly, this tournament is organized by the Ayala Polo Club, yet the majority of the matches are played at Santa Maria Polo Club, in what’s called the Los Pinos fields. There are three categories of teams playing in this tournament – low, medium and high handicap. In the lower categories, some matches are played in the Ayala fields, so double check where they are being played.

In 2025, matches begin on the 23rd of July and continue until the 31st of August, and you can find out the fixtures, times and teams on the Ayala Polo Club website.

In May, Iridike Polo hosts the La Quinta Tournament, with two weeks of exciting matches. In October they hold the Nation Cup, a 2-week competition bringing in top teams from Europe, between the 3rd and the 12th of October. They also hold regular weekend tournaments throughout the season, accompanied by a great Argentinian BBQ. They have summer tournaments taking place throughout July and August too. Check their Facebook page for more information.

Other clubs also host tournaments, but their websites and social media channels aren’t usually updated, so it’s tricky to find information online, until very close to the date.

Where to stay near to Sotogrande?

Sotogrande is just under an hour’s drive from Marbella, so it’s an easy day trip if you’re staying in Marbella itself. However, if you want to be closer, but still close to Marbella, we’d recommend choosing a vacation rental in Estepona. Estepona is a lovely town, with a great food scene and lots of Spanish charm, plus excellent beaches. It is roughly half way between Marbella and Sotogrande, so you’re within easy reach of both, as well as being able to explore Estepona itself. Ideal!

Please contact us with any questions you have about visiting the Costa del Sol, where to stay and how you can make the best out of your next holiday.

DO YOU ENJOY READING THIS BLOG?

SHARE ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA

From Vacation Marbella wants that everyone knows the benefit about staying in Marbella. There are a plenty of activities that you can do with your family, friends or even with you pet. Share the information with everyone and who knows, maybe could join your plans!

Join our exclusive circle

Dreaming of enjoying Marbella again? Become part of our community and be the first to hear about new updates, unique stays, and last-minute offers that will turn your next vacation into reality — at the best price.