Romero, Globalport make historic U.S. Open debut

For the first time, the Philippine flag will fly in the 2025 US Open Polo Championship when the Globalport Polo team battles the world’s best in Wellington, Florida.

Globalport, owned by Rep. Mikee Romero, will be making history as the first team based in Asia to compete in this renowned championship from 24 March to 20 April 2025.

It will be the first time for the tournament to feature a Filipino side that will carry the Philippine flag.

The team’s qualification signals the growing influence of the Philippines in international polo and is expected to bring new excitement to the sport in the country and the Southeast Asian region.

But it will not be the first time for Romero to play under the Philippine tricolor as he had already represented the country in several international polo competitions in the past.

A former varsity basketball player and a three-term lawmaker, Romero has been a leading figure in Philippine sports with his involvement in basketball, cycling, shooting, volleyball, and polo, among other sports. He was elected partylist representative of 1-Pacman in 2016.

“It’s a big honor for me to represent the country in this US Open,” Romero said.

“While qualifying for the US Open is accomplishment enough, we hope to make an impact on the competition as we mount a challenge on the dominance of the established powers of the polo world.”

Globalport Polo enters the 2025 competition with a formidable lineup spearheaded by one of the best players in the world — Argentina’s Barto Castagnola.

Ranked No. 2 globally, Castagnola comes off an impressive victory in the Argentine Open and the UK Gold Cup. His experience and skill will be invaluable to the team, which also includes 17- year-old prodigy Beltran Laughle, a 6-goaler who is making a name for himself as one of the sport’s most promising young talents.

Rounding out the team is Lucas Alberdi, an American-born player known for his strategic approach and solid performance on the field.

The US Polo Open, organized by the United States Polo Association, is the most prestigious polo tournament globally, boasting a rich 120-year history. Held annually in Wellington, the 22-goal competition attracts the world’s finest polo players.

The 2024 US Polo Open championship, which served as the backdrop for the Netflix series Polo, has generated widespread interest in the game.

The series, produced by Prince Harry and Meghan of Sussex, UK, offered an inside look at the intense competition and drama surrounding the event, further cementing the US Polo Open’s reputation as the sport’s premier showcase.

With that, all eyes will be on Globalport Polo as it prepares to debut in the competition.