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HOST VENUE: NAPLES 2027
For the first time ever the Louis Vuitton Cup and Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Match will be sailed in Italy, a country with one of the most colourful and enthusiastic America’s Cup histories. In 2027, the world will look to Italy and specifically to Naples, the capital of the Campania region in Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most ancient cities in Europe, as it becomes the Host City for the world’s oldest international sports trophy. Naples has also been named European Capital of Sport 2026 which is a recognition of the city's exceptional commitment to sports as a catalyst for social cohesion and integration – causes that the America's Cup is proud to support through the event's activations across 2026 and 2027.
Naples has played host to America’s Cup action in both 2012 & 2013 in the lead up to the 34th America’s Cup, hosting two America’s Cup World Series events where local event officials estimated that more than one million people turned up to watch the racing from the Naples waterfront over the week-long events.
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NAPLES 2027
ON THE FOOT OF VESUVIUSNaples is no ordinary city. Restless, radiant, and rich with centuries of stories. Perched on the edge of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the shadow of the watchful Vesuvius, Naples is a city where myth, memory, and the Mediterranean breathe together in the same ancient air.
It was the Greeks who first called it Neápolis–“New City”–long before Rome found its stride. Here, Partenope, the weeping siren of Homeric myth, washed ashore after failing to lure Odysseus.
And soon, the world will look to Naples, as the city becomes the Host Venue for the world’s oldest international sports trophy: The Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. A competition just as steeped in myth, obsession, rivalry, and innovation. In a place where past and present intertwine so naturally, the future now calls, adding a new layer of history.
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THE RACECOURSE
THE BAY OF NAPLESThe Bay of Naples is set to host the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. A venue that, from a yachting perspective, borders on perfection. With Vesuvius as a dramatic backdrop and the islands of Capri and Ischia framing the horizon, the setting is as iconic as it is challenging. The close-to-shore racecourse will give fans a rare chance to witness the AC75s at full speed just metres from the waterfront. Local conditions promise steady sea breezes funnelled through the bay, combined with tactical shifts and occasional thermal winds, ensuring a dynamic race environment that will test crews to the limit while delivering unforgettable action for spectators.
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THE RACE VILLAGE
VIALE FRANCESCO CARACCIOLOThe America’s Cup Race Village will be positioned along the extensive seafront of downtown Naples, showing just how big the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup is expected to be with the event organisers anticipating a fan engagement level unseen before in the 174-year history of the competition.
The stunning ribbon of road that stretches around the waterfront, the Viale Francesco Caracciolo, will be transformed into the ultimate Race Village, making use of all the promontories and unique features of the area to create grandstand viewing opportunities, whilst housing the Official Main Stage for sailor and trophy presentations.
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BAGNOLI
TEAM BASES & AC Tech FanZoneBagnoli, the western seaside quarter of Naples is set for a remarkable transformation that will convert this former industrial area into the epicentre of the action for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup: World-class technical facility for the teams, the AC75 yachts, a superyacht marina, and a dedicated Women & Youth base for the AC40 yachts to launch from will be located here.
The area will also feature an AC Tech FanZone with interactive areas, large jumbotron screens to watch the racing and pre-event feature shows, plus a wealth of gastronomy and retail options.
History
Previous host venues
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COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT, GBR1851On 22nd August 1851, a fleet of 15 yachts started a race from Cowes, clockwise around the Isle of Wight off the southern coast of Great Britain. Seven schooners and eight cutters contested the 55 nautical mile race for the ‘R.Y.S. £100 Challenge Cup’ and the ‘stranger’ America steered by Old Dick Brown with Commodore of the New York Yacht Club John Cox Stevens onboard, won the race beating the best of the British fleet. When they took it home to New York, the owners gifted the Cup in 1857 to the NYYC with a strict Deed of Gift, parts of which survive today, and ‘America’s Cup’ was born.
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NEW YORK, NY, USA
1870–1920
NEW YORK, NY, USA1870–1920From 1870 to 1920, New York City was the venue for a total of 13 defences of the America’s Cup by the New York Yacht Club.
Courses varied between harbour courses and ocean courses with the club determining the specific course based on conditions. Many of the ocean courses featured the famous Sandy Hook Light Vessel off New Jersey whilst many Challengers, particularly the first Challenger James Lloyd Ashbury, complained about the complexity of the course and the influence of local knowledge.
The Cup stayed in the hands of the New York Yacht Club for 132 years. -
NEWPORT, RI, USA
1930–1983
NEWPORT, RI, USA1930–1983From 1930 to 1983, Newport, Rhode Island was the venue for the America’s Cup as the New York Yacht Club deemed the sheltered waters and fair winds of Narragansett Bay to be ideal for sailboat racing. With its proximity to the open ocean of the Atlantic, as the boats got bigger in the pre-War period, Newport was perfect. Between the first defence in Newport in 1930 through to the third defence in 1938, the J-Class yachts were used, and the golden-era of the America’s Cup was in. After the war, the NYYC introduced the 12 Metre class and successfully defended a further eight times before famously losing in 1983 and starting the modern era of the America’s Cup.
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FREMANTLE, PERTH, WA, AUSTRALIA1987Fremantle, or Freo as sailors affectionately call it, was the venue for the most remarkable of America’s Cups in 1987 with the huge waves off Gage Roads whipped up by the 'Fremantle Doctor' breeze creating some of the most iconic photographs and television coverage ever seen of yacht racing. The Australians couldn’t defend the Cup against the 1983 loser Dennis Conner who sailed Stars ‘n’ Stripes ‘87 (US 55) to a famous redemption victory, whitewashing Kookaburra III in the Match to win 4-0 and take the America’s Cup back to his home club: the San Diego Yacht Club.
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SAN DIEGO, CA, USA
1988–1995
SAN DIEGO, CA, USA1988–1995From 1988 to 1995, San Diego in California hosted the America’s Cup as it transitioned to the modern era. In 1988 we saw the ‘Cat versus Dog’ Deed of Gift Match where New Zealand challenged with a giant 90ft monohull and, after lengthy legal debate, raced against Dennis Conner in a mis-matched catamaran that won easily. Four years later, the billionaire Bill Koch brought super-technology into the America’s Cup and won on America3 in a dominant display. However, by 1995, Dennis Conner was back at the wheel with Paul Cayard and the Americans lost to the new force in the Cup world: the Kiwis, led by Sir Peter Blake with legendary skipper Russell Coutts winning for the first time and taking the Cup to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
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AUCKLAND, NZL
00, 03, 21
AUCKLAND, NZL00, 03, 21The Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, New Zealand, was the venue for the next two America’s Cup regattas with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Team New Zealand hosting as holders. The first defence in 2000, a 5-0 victory over Luna Rossa was the first time the America's Cup had ever been defended outside of America. But in 2003, the Swiss swooped on the all-conquering Kiwi sailing team, hired them and beat Team New Zealand winning the America’s Cup at their first attempt in 2003. It was one of the most controversial America’s Cup regattas in history. Land-locked Switzerland won and the Société Nautique de Genève was the new holder of the Auld Mug. It took the Kiwis 14 years to win the America's Cup back, and they triumphantly returned the America's Cup back to Auckland for the 36th America's Cup defence in 2021 beating Luna Rossa in a repeat of the America's Cup Match of 2000.
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VALENCIA, ESP
2007–2010
VALENCIA, ESP2007–2010Valencia on the southern coast of Spain was selected by the Swiss syndicate Alinghi as the venue for their first defence in 2007 and with a strong team they beat the resurgent Emirates Team New Zealand in a thrilling final contest. It was one of the biggest America’s Cup regattas in history with 11 Challengers and a number of pre-events (‘Acts’ as they were called) sailed at venues around Europe including Sweden, France, Italy, and Spain. However, post 2007, the America’s Cup reverted to the New York Supreme Court with billionaire Larry Ellison challenging the validity of the Challenger of Record yacht club. The result was a best-of-3 Deed of Gift Match in February 2010 between the American giant trimaran and the Swiss catamaran. The Americans won 2-0, sailing under the burgee of the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco, and took the Cup back to the USA.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA2013For 2013, a new class of high-speed catamaran, the AC72, was introduced to the America’s Cup for racing on San Francisco Bay with giant fixed wing mainsails. San Francisco was a real test of both the boats and the sailors. After Emirates Team New Zealand introduced foiling into the America's Cup through an innovative approach to the Class Rule, eventually it was the Americans who successfully defended for the Golden Gate Yacht Club in one of the most dramatic sporting comebacks of all time. Having been 8-1 down and at match point, the Americans, with Jimmy Spithill and eventually Ben Ainslie in the afterguard, clawed their way back into a contest that the Kiwis had at their fingertips. For the first time in the history of the Cup, we saw the yachts foiling out of the water and it has never looked back since 2013.
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BERMUDA, BOT
2017
BERMUDA, BOT2017For the next defence, the Golden Gate Yacht Club decided on the Great Sound in Bermuda as the venue for the 2017 regatta. They were met with innovation by Emirates Team New Zealand who figured out that cycling power was more effective than arm power for powering the winches onboard the flying catamarans. The final Match tally of 7-1 in favour of the Kiwis saw the America’s Cup once again recaptured by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and its return to Auckland in 2021 for a Covid-affected America’s Cup regatta was the Cup’s final time in New Zealand for now.
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BARCELONA, ESP
2024
BARCELONA, ESP2024With a desire to continue to grow the America’s Cup, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron selected one of the world's most iconic cities, Barcelona for the 2024 regatta, eyeing an improved time-zone for global viewership and bringing the event to the vibrant Mediterranean. All round it was a great success for Barcelona and the America's Cup as well as for the Kiwis with Emirates Team New Zealand beating INEOS Britannia–the first time that Britain had made it to the Match since 1964–7-2 to win the America’s Cup for a third consecutive time.
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NAPLES, ITA
2027
NAPLES, ITA2027For the first time ever the America’s Cup will be sailed in Italy, a country with one of the most colourful and enthusiastic America’s Cup histories. The fight for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup will take place under the watchful shadow of Mount Vesuvius and just off the waterfront of the vibrant city. In spring and summer 2027, the world will look to Italy as the Host Country for the competition for the world’s oldest international sporting trophy.
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HOSPITALITY & ON-WATER EXPERIENCES
AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCEA range of different VIP Hospitality experiences will be developed over the coming months offering on land and on water packages.
Further information will be published in due course.
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ON-WATER PROGRAMME
WATCH THE RACING FROM YOUR OWN BOATAs preparations continue shoreside for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, notice will be issued for all those wishing to spectate from the water that registration is required for all vessels wishing to be located in the specified viewing areas of the racecourses.
The latest information will be published here once available.
