Founder of the Next Generation Polo Championship, Fatima Babangida Mohammed, has affirmed that young players hold the key to the future of Nigeria’s polo development.

Mohammed, who urged stakeholders to invest in the development of the sport at the grassroots, pledged to create opportunities for young players and build a stronger future for polo in Nigeria and Africa through her platform.

Mohammed, a one-goal polo player, said the idea behind the Next Generation Polo Championship was driven by the need to give emerging players a platform where they could take centre stage and develop their careers.

She noted that there is considerable emerging talent within the sport that deserves greater visibility and opportunities, adding that her involvement in polo had gone beyond playing the sport, prompting her to consider its future, particularly the opportunities available to the next generation.

“The more involved I became, the more I began thinking about its future: who the next generation of players are, what opportunities exist for them and how we can continue to grow the sport while respecting its traditions,” she said.

Mohammed, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Polo Company, explained that the Next Generation Polo Championship was designed around emerging players and a younger, more accessible vision of polo.

She stressed that the championship was conceived as more than a sporting tournament, as she wants to make polo accessible to people who may never have watched or followed the sport.

“I wanted someone who had never watched polo before to be able to attend, understand the atmosphere, enjoy themselves and leave wanting to come back,” she said.

She added that this required consideration of the wider experience surrounding the sport, including hospitality, sponsorship, media, food and lifestyle, while keeping polo at the centre.

The championship, she said, was guided by the theme, “The Future of Polo. Elevated.”

Mohammed also explained the role of Phoenix Polo Company, which she founded to support the commercial development of polo.

She said the company works with polo clubs as a commercial and marketing partner, focusing on sponsorship, brand partnerships, marketing, media exposure and the overall tournament experience.

“The aim is not to replace existing polo clubs or tournament committees, but to work alongside them and strengthen the commercial side of their events,” she said.

“Ultimately, I want Phoenix Polo to help bridge that gap,” she said.

Looking ahead, she said she hoped the Next Generation Polo Championship would become an established annual event and eventually one of the leading platforms for emerging polo talent in Africa.

“I want young players to aspire to compete in it. I want brands to see value in supporting the next generation of the sport. And I want spectators who may not traditionally consider themselves part of the polo world to feel that there is a place for them within it,” she said.