On November 21, 2025, Dubai will serve as the stage for an ambitious confluence of sport and culture with The Legacy Cup, a distinctive collaboration between Polo Xperience and the Big Art Festival. Set across the fields of the Al Habtoor Polo Club and the newly opened Billionaire Dubai at the Mandarin Oriental Downtown, the event presents a seamless blend of athletic tradition and contemporary performance.
At the center of the day’s program is a polo match between the Monte-Carlo Polo Team and the Mahra Polo Team. Representing Monaco, the Monte-Carlo team, founded in 2012 by Rommy Gianni, has earned global recognition for its competitive success and refined approach to the sport. Among its achievements is an unprecedented three consecutive victories at the Snow Polo World Cup in St. Moritz - an accomplishment unmatched in the tournament’s history.
The match is part of Polo Xperience’s broader effort to redefine polo for a new era, not only as a sport but as a cultural platform. With aspirations of building an international circuit that links heritage with innovation, the initiative reflects a growing interest in integrating elite athleticism with global social and artistic communities.
The evening transitions from competition to performance, led by the Big Art Festival, a cultural initiative of Berin Iglesias Art. Known for curating high-profile gatherings across Europe and the Middle East, the festival has become associated with events that merge live music, visual art, and luxury dining. The gala in Dubai will feature a headline performance by Zivert, whose work blends pop sensibility with strong visual and choreographic elements.
Held at Billionaire Dubai - a new addition to the international nightlife brand founded by Flavio Briatore - the evening is expected to offer a distinct environment shaped by design, gastronomy, and stagecraft. Yet beyond its setting, the event reflects a wider interest in how sport and cultural expression can intersect, particularly in cities like Dubai that are actively positioning themselves as global crossroads for both.
The event also marks the continued relationship between the Monte-Carlo Polo Federation and the Al Habtoor family, a partnership that began nearly three decades ago. For Gianni, the return to Dubai is a personal one, rooted in shared history and a mutual dedication to the sport.
Supporting the event is Monaco’s CAROLI Group, a long-standing figure in the principality’s real estate and communications sectors. With deep experience in urban development and public events, the group's participation underscores the international scope and logistical complexity of staging such a gathering.
In its totality, The Legacy Cup offers more than spectacle. It illustrates how traditional disciplines like polo are finding renewed relevance by engaging with the wider cultural world - reimagined not only as sport but as experience, and not only as competition but as conversation.