The 38th edition of the America’s Cup already has a roadmap and, although Naples will be the main stage in 2027, the first real focal point comes much earlier and significantly further north. Cagliari, capital of Sardinia, will host the first preliminary regatta of this new edition from 21 to 24 May 2026, a key event that will mark the true sporting start of the cycle and allow, for the first time, a real assessment of the level of the projects aiming for the Auld Mug.
The announcement was made at the Royal Palace in Naples, during an event in which Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand and chief executive of the competition, confirmed both the dates of the final Match in 2027 and the preceding calendar. However, beyond the symbolism of bringing the America’s Cup to Italy for the first time, the choice of Cagliari as the opening venue for the preliminaries has a clear strategic weight within the new model of the competition.
The preliminary regattas are not just an appetiser. In the current format, they have become an essential part of the sporting and media ecosystem of the Cup. They are the first moment in which teams face each other with the AC40s, the foiling monohulls that serve as a technological development and training platform before the definitive move to the Match boats. In practice, it is the first real test.
Cagliari will bring together the five teams currently entered in the 38th edition: Emirates Team New Zealand as defender, Athena Racing representing Great Britain under the structure led by Ben Ainslie, Luna Rossa as the Italian host, Tudor Team Alinghi for Switzerland and K-Challenge for France. Each team will be able to field two AC40s, one with the main crew aiming to compete in 2027 and another made up of young sailors and women, replicating the model already seen in Barcelona with the Youth Cup and the Women’s Cup.
From a sporting point of view, the choice of Cagliari is no coincidence. The Sardinian city has been Luna Rossa’s historical base since 2014 and one of the most established training centres on the international circuit. The Gulf of Angels offers very stable wind conditions, with regular thermals, relatively flat water and port infrastructure perfectly adapted to high-level campaigns. For many teams, it is one of the most reliable racecourses in Europe.
Grant Dalton was direct in describing what is expected from this first event: “Cagliari will be incredibly interesting from a sporting perspective.” Translated into the language of the Cup, that means a scenario where there are no excuses. If a project works, it will show. If it does not, that will be visible too. There are no extreme conditions to distort performance, which turns this regatta into a very valuable technical reference.
Moreover, the fact that Luna Rossa will be racing at home adds an extra layer of tension. The Italian team starts with a clear advantage in terms of knowledge of the racecourse, meteorology and logistics, something that could allow them to strike first in this new cycle. It is not a minor detail in a competition where confidence, perception of strength and psychological momentum weigh almost as much as pure speed.
The preliminary format will follow the familiar structure. Fleet races during the first days, with all teams on the water at the same time, and a final between the two best-ranked teams to determine the winner of the event. It is not only about lifting a trophy, but about sending a clear message to the rest of the Cup ecosystem.
From a strategic perspective, these regattas also fulfil a key role in the new phase the competition is entering. With the creation of the America’s Cup Partnership, the governance model has shifted towards a more shared structure between the teams, with greater emphasis on media visibility, television rights and the construction of a continuous narrative, not focused solely on the final Match.
In that context, Cagliari is the first real showcase of this new era. The first opportunity to see whether the America’s Cup can finally break its historic isolation and become a sporting product with continuity, accessible, understandable and attractive beyond the hardcore fan base.
After Sardinia, more preliminary regattas will follow before the definitive arrival in Naples in July 2027, when the Match will be sailed between Posillipo and Castel dell’Ovo, with two opening races scheduled for Saturday 10 July and a conclusion expected over the weekend of 17 and 18. But in real terms, the road to the Auld Mug begins much earlier, in Sardinian waters.
Cagliari is not just a technical venue, it is the first competitive filter. The place where words turn into data, where promises are translated into speed, stability and reliability. For the teams, it is the first serious X-ray of the cycle. For the America’s Cup, it is the stress test of its new sporting architecture.
And for Luna Rossa, it is a historic opportunity. Winning at home, in the first chapter of the road to Naples, would carry enormous symbolic value. It would be the most direct way to remind the world that, for the first time in 175 years of history, the Cup is not only being held in Italy, but could, at last, stay at home.
