The defending champion and the Challenger of Record have after long and hard negotiations finally agreed on the protocol for the 38th Louis Vuitton America's Cup. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, represented by Team New Zealand under the direction of Grant Dalton, and the British Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, represented by Sir Ben Ainslie's racing team Athena Racing, have signed the basic agreement for the Naples Cup in summer 2027.
In press statements, both sides speak of a "ground-breaking partnership". Click here to go directly to the minutes.
A shared vision for the America's Cup
The reporting window for further challenges will open as early as 19 August 2025. With the signed agreement, those responsible are opening a new chapter based on a centralised partnership. According to the two teams at the helm of the Cup, this will open up new opportunities to "promote the sport worldwide, create added value for the teams involved and unite everyone behind a common vision for the future of one of the most traditional and legendary sporting events".
The press statement reads: "At the centre of the protocol is a partnership agreement structured to allow all teams to work together within a long-term commercial structure for the future benefit and promotion of the America's Cup." This has also been given the green light by the New York Yacht Club, whose sailors drew up the Cup foundation charter after the first victory in 1851. Back then, the competition was not named after the winning nation, but after the winning yacht "America".
Jay Cross, Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, said: "As a founding member of the America's Cup, we fully support the modernisation of the world's oldest sporting trophy." It is said that the America's Cup has evolved in content and technology over 174 years to meet the demands of its time.
The America's Cup of the future: every two years!
According to the signatories to the protocol, the international sporting landscape now offers new opportunities to "strengthen the global significance and commercial strength of the competition". The new partnership will enable the America's Cup to have a more predictable schedule, with the Cup becoming a biennial event with standardised formats. This should increase the anticipation of the fans and enable better advertising.
Team New Zealand's Chief Conductor Grant Dalton said: "As three-time consecutive winners and defending holders of the America's Cup, we are committed, along with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron as current trustees, to continuing to drive the growth of the America's Cup. Although the America's Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and marks the pinnacle of sailing, its Achilles heel has always been its lack of continuity."
This reorganisation now gives all teams a shared responsibility. We are introducing a new management team under the leadership of a new independent CEO." Grant Dalton
By negotiating this protocol and the America's Cup partnership with the Challenger of Record, teams, commercial partners and venues will have more security to invest in multiple consecutive Cup editions. The organisers described the comprehensive step into the future as "the boldest change in the Cup's 174-year history, while respecting the founding charter".
Together with the Challenger of Record, we are convinced that this is the best initiative to further develop what is already one of the biggest sporting events in the world." Grant Dalton
This new agreement, which is radical by Cup standards, creates equal leadership for all participating teams through the America's Cup Partnership (ACP). The ACP will be responsible for organising and managing the format of the event on the water and on land and will oversee the development, protection and marketing of media and commercial rights.
America's Cup: more exciting and inclusive
Sir Ben Ainslie, CEO and Team Principal of Athena Racing, said: "This is a landmark moment for the America's Cup. The partnership agreement fundamentally reshapes the governance and organisation of the event. The teams and yacht clubs share a vision to make the America's Cup more inclusive, exciting and financially sustainable. This new model is a shared commitment to this vision.
I look forward to the future of this sport." Sir Ben Ainslie
The protocol for the future
According to the parties involved, the new protocol for the 38th Louis Vuitton America's Cup and the future includes developments aimed at increasing inclusivity, national representation and cost-efficiency. At the same time, the aim is to ensure that the America's Cup remains at the forefront of design development and international sporting history. The key points at a glance:
- The 38th America's Cup will be a further development of the 37th America's Cup, with a focus on the continued promotion of women and young talent. The Women's and Youth America's Cups will therefore be retained. However, in future there must also be at least one female crew member on board the AC75.
- The crew of the AC75s will consist of five sailors, with the boat's battery-powered function being expanded. The nationality clause stipulates that two sailors and the female sailor must be nationals of the competitor's country, but allows up to two non-citizens on board.
- The race format has been revised to keep all teams in the race for longer and maximise race time. The group stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup includes both match racing and fleet racing. All teams can participate. The results will determine the top four challengers who will compete in a knockout round of semi-finals (5 wins) and finals (7 wins) to determine the challenger who will face the defending team, Team New Zealand, in the 38th America's Cup match in Naples in July 2027.
- Up to three pre-regattas are planned for 2026 and another at the beginning of 2027, which will be held with AC40 yachts. Each team may enter two AC40 yachts in each event, whereby one AC40 must be crewed by women and youth sailors. A final pre-regatta will be held immediately before the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series in Naples on the AC75s.
- In a significant step towards cost containment for all teams, a cost cap of 75 million euros will be set for AC38. This cost cap will be further refined for the AC39. In addition, the protocol requires all existing teams to use the same AC75 hulls that were used in the 37th America's Cup, if available. New teams may only purchase an existing AC75 or build a new hull to the AC37 design. All hulls must fulfil the specific requirements of the Protocol in relation to 'in-country manufacture' as set out in the Foundation Deed.
- To maximise commercial engagement, media exposure and fan enthusiasm, teams will have a guest racer on board their AC75 during the races. VIPs, sponsors, media representatives or influencers will be able to experience and report first-hand what it is like to race aboard the world's most technologically advanced boats and compete in the heat of battle.
Off to Naples in the year 2027!" David Blakely
David Blakey, Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, said: "As the current America's Cup Trustee, we have been instrumental in paving this new pathway for the America's Cup in partnership with Team New Zealand and the Challenger of Record. Supporting young sailors and developing the sport in New Zealand is a top priority for the RNZYS and this protocol and partnership will ensure that. We are very proud of our national team's performance on the world stage."
Speaking for the UK RYS side, Bertie Bicket said: "The Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd is delighted to be partnering with Sir Ben Ainslie and Athena Racing as the challenger yacht club for the 38th America's Cup for the fourth consecutive year. I would like to thank our friends at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Team New Zealand with whom we have worked closely with Athena Racing over the last nine months to achieve this paradigm shift for the future structure of the America's Cup."
A look ahead to the 38th Louis Vuitton America's Cup, which will be held in Naples in 2027:
