Plans for the 2026 Access Bank–UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament are now fully in place, with the current holders, Fifth Chukker, set to begin their build-up alongside Jos Malcomines and the Access Bank Cup-winning Clearwater Polo Farm. The tournament, described as an international charity celebration on the polo calendar, gets under way on May 30 at Fifth Chukker & Country Resort in Kaduna, running through to June 7.
Schedule, purpose and tournament build-up
- The 2026 edition is scheduled for May 30 to June 7 at Fifth Chukker & Country Resort, Kaduna.
- The event is positioned as one of Africa’s leading charity platforms, using polo to raise funds for UNICEF programmes.
- Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Resort is the organiser, with Access Bank as the title sponsor.
Beyond the returning champions and familiar names, the competition is expected to be especially lively in 2026, with confirmed entries including Arabian Apartment, Golden Brickmore, Keystone Bank, Profile and ZYN Polo. Abuja Rubicon and Pop Cola also return from Kano, adding to what organisers describe as a wide-open fight for honours across all categories.
Contenders and trophies up for grabs
In the hunt for the top prize, former champions Access Bank Polo and Malcomines have been confirmed as leading contenders for the Charity Shield. Meanwhile, Clearwater/DeeBee Farm is shaping up as the team to watch for the second most coveted trophy, as the 2026 lineup promises sharp competition for multiple pieces of silverware.
Other prizes listed for the tournament include the Usman Dantata Cup, the Herbert Wigwe Cup, and the UNICEF Cup, which is expected to be closely contested throughout the event.
Children’s Day programme and community impact
The 2026 tournament also includes a special Children’s Day activity, with more than 150 school pupils and their teachers expected to spend an entire day at the resort. The programme is set to feature a range of sporting sessions plus creative pursuits such as drawing and painting, and organisers say it has grown into one of the standout fixtures on the annual polo calendar.
Title sponsors Access Bank and its partners have further expanded their commitment to the platform by adding 120 classroom blocks in Kaduna State. The aim is to strengthen education access for underprivileged children, with the investment described as having helped boost enrolment and academic results over time through focused educational support. In addition, neighbouring communities have benefited from boreholes and vocational training equipment.
Since 2008—when Access Bank took on a multi-year sponsorship that gave the Charity Shield a major lift—the partnership has worked to help local authorities and community leaders scale up the impact of intervention programmes while supporting longer-term sustainability.
Programme partners say they are encouraged by the progress of the Access Bank–UNICEF Charity Shield in targeting vulnerable groups, and they remain committed to an initiative designed to support millions of at-risk, out-of-school children across Nigeria.
History of the Charity Shield
The Charity Shield started in 2003 as a vehicle to back local charity organisations in Kaduna. Over the years, it has channelled its humanitarian efforts exclusively into UNICEF initiatives for orphans and vulnerable children in Kaduna State.
With the 2026 tournament set to deliver high-quality polo action alongside a strong charitable programme, organisers believe the impact will be felt well beyond the final chukker—reinforcing the idea that sport, when used at its best, can help improve lives and help build brighter futures.
