Cagliari is confirmed as the venue for the opening milestone of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup cycle, with the Region of Sardinia and the City of Cagliari partnering to host the Preliminary Regatta from 21 to 24 May 2026. Racing will take place in the Gulf of Angels, directly in front of the Port of Cagliari.
For all five entered teams, this is where months of private preparation finally give way to competition against one another. Training answers some questions. Racing answers the rest.
Each team may race up to two AC40 one-design foiling yachts, with one boat per team reserved for Women's and Youth America's Cup sailors. The format is structured to produce sharp outcomes. Fleet racing fills the opening days, after which the two teams leading the standings meet in a winner-takes-all final to decide the regatta.
Cagliari carries obvious significance as a venue. Luna Rossa is based there, so the location arrives with America's Cup history already attached. The Gulf of Angels also offers open water and consistent breeze well suited to foiling yacht racing rather than merely surviving it. Organisers have confirmed the racecourse will be visible from shore, with a race village and public screens planned along the port to bring spectators into the action.
Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton believes the regatta could produce some notable upsets. "From what we are seeing internally there is very little to choose between what you might call the 'established' sailors from the newcomers. We also know that the other teams have incredible depths of talent in their Youth & Women's teams so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the fleet racing completely mixed and some of those next-gen talents taking big scalps. Cagliari will be incredibly interesting from a sporting perspective."
Cagliari marks the first public milestone in a longer campaign leading to the main America's Cup competition in Naples, scheduled for between May and July 2027. A further event presentation in Naples is planned for 21 January 2026, where more detail on scheduling and event delivery is expected.
