America’s Cup Heads to Naples for 2027, With Five Teams Confirmed

The 38th America’s Cup is heading to Naples, where AC75 foiling yachts will race in the shadow of Mt Vesuvius from July 10, 2027. It will be the first time the oldest trophy in international sport has been contested in Italian waters.

Five teams have been confirmed as founding members of the newly created America’s Cup Partnership (ACP), which was unveiled at a ceremony at the Palazzo Reale in Naples in January. Defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand will face four challengers: Italy’s Luna Rossa, Switzerland’s Tudor Team Alinghi, France’s K-Challenge, and GB1, the rebranded British entry.

The racecourse will sit in the Gulf of Naples between Castel dell’Ovo and Posillipo, positioned close enough to shore for spectators to watch from the waterfront. A Race Village on the Viale Francesco Caracciolo will serve as the main fan hub downtown, while team bases and technical facilities are being built in Bagnoli, a former industrial quarter on Naples’ western coast that is undergoing a major regeneration programme.

Road to Naples

The first preliminary regatta is scheduled for May 21–24, 2026, in Cagliari, Sardinia, giving teams an early competitive outing before the main event.

Among the challengers, Luna Rossa has undergone a leadership shift. Giulio Bertelli, a 15-year professional sailor who raced in The Ocean Race 2022–23, has been appointed vice president. His father Patrizio Bertelli remains president and founder. “Even without my father, we will continue with the team,” Giulio Bertelli said, confirming Luna Rossa’s long-term commitment.

Louis Vuitton returns as title sponsor for both the Challenger Selection Series and the Match itself.

The Match is scheduled to conclude around July 17–18, 2027, though that timeline depends on wind conditions in the gulf.