Italy to host next America’s Cup in 2027

Team New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron have announced Italy will host the next America’s Cup. The 38th America’s Cup will be held in Naples, Italy in the spring and summer of 2027

The 38th America’s Cup is heading to Italy: this morning, Thursday 15 May 2025 defenders Team New Zealand announced today that Naples will host the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in the spring and summer of 2027.

This is the first time the America’s Cup has headed to Italy, though Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli has been one of the most committed and ever-present challengers in the modern America’s Cup.

The opportunity to host the event will not only reward the team backers and its loyal supporters with a home event, but potentially also gift a rare ‘home advantage’ to a Challenger who has not earned the right to host through winning the event.

America’s Cup Defender Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton said Naples was chosen after a ‘very efficient venue selection process’. It was well known that previous Cup host cities Barcelona and Valencia in Spain, as well as Team New Zealand’s home port of Auckland, were not able to financially support hosting the event for AC38.

The selection of Italy as the venue for the next America’s Cup will likely do little to quell the anger from some quarters in New Zealand – who have only seen the Cup contested on home soil on one occasion in the last three wins by the Kiwis – but it will, however, be a relief for the wider sailing community who had feared the event could may go to the highest bidder and end up being contested in an unsuitable venue.

“I couldn’t be more excited to announce Naples, Italy as the Host Venue of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. There is a raw spirit and absolute pride in Italy that seems so appropriate to have the next America’s Cup here,” said Dalton.

“By bringing the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup to this country, it feels like we are bringing it to the people, in our ambition to continually grow the audience of the America’s Cup and sport of sailing.

“Italians are the most passionate and engaged America’s Cup audience and obviously it is the home of Luna Rossa who are such an amazing team and strong competitor. So, from the Defender’s position it certainly feels like we are entering the lion’s den competitively, but from an event perspective it feels like the perfect venue to host the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup.”

The iconic Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli branding has been a key presence in recent America’s Cups.

Italy in America’s Cup

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s track record in the America’s Cup is highly distinguished: they made it to the final of the 37th Louis Vuitton Challenger Series (eventually defeated by INEOS Britannia), but were winners of the 2021 Challenger series to face New Zealand in the Cup match in Auckland for AC36.

They were also – rather ominously for the Defenders – winners of both the Women’s America’s Cup and Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona last summer.

Commodore David Blakey of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron confirmed that both events will be returning for AC 38, saying: “Italy promises to be a spectacular setting for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, as well as the Youth and Women’s regattas”.

Italy won both the Puig Women’s America’s Cup and Youth America’s Cup events in 2024.

Naples redevelopment for the Cup

Naples has previously hosted two America’s Cup World Series events in 2012 and 2013. Reporting from the 2012 event for Yachting World, Matthew Sheahan described the location: “The venue here in Naples is superb, both for spectators and sailors. Open to the sea, the westerly breeze is clean and the sailing area free from obstructions.”

The racing area for the America’s Cup will be in the Gulf of Naples, between Castel dell’Ovo and Posillipo.

The city bid also hinges on a plan to use the America’s Cup as a means to modernise the city’s infrastructure. Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth for Italy, added: “Hosting the America’s Cup in Naples also represents a strategic opportunity to accelerate the environmental rehabilitation and urban regeneration program of Bagnoli, the area that will host the teams’ bases.

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