The opening move of the 38th America’s Cup is now confirmed, with Sardinia set to host the first preliminary regatta of the cycle.
The confirmation comes directly from a Facebook post published by Franco Cuccureddu, Sardinia’s Regional Councillor for Tourism, following reports earlier in the day that the agreement had been finalised.
In his post, Cuccureddu confirmed that the Sardinia Region has formally signed an agreement to stage the opening preliminary regatta of the 38th America’s Cup, bringing months of behind the scenes negotiations to a close.
Those negotiations, he said, involved the event organisers, Team New Zealand, the Italian Government, and Sport e Salute S.p.A., and were conducted under what he described as strict confidentiality.
Confirmation delivered via social media
Cuccureddu acknowledged that news of the agreement had already begun circulating online before his announcement, after what he described as a lengthy and complex process.
He confirmed that the Sardinia preliminary regatta will form part of the pathway toward the America’s Cup Match, which is scheduled to be sailed in Naples in July 2027.
In the same statement, Cuccureddu also highlighted the wider significance of the event, noting that the America’s Cup, first raced in 1851, remains the oldest international sporting competition in the world and continues to attract substantial global media attention.
Further details, including dates and event logistics, will be formally presented at a dedicated press conference scheduled for next Friday in Cagliari.
Cagliari emerges as the likely base
While the official event documentation has yet to be released, the regatta is widely expected to be based in Cagliari.
The Sardinian capital has a long history of hosting high level international sailing and is already home to the established base of Luna Rossa, making it a natural fit for the opening event of the AC38 cycle.
If confirmed, the preliminary regatta would mark the first time Sardinia has hosted an America’s Cup event, a significant milestone for the island after several previous attempts failed to materialise.
Close calls and missed opportunities
Sardinia has come close to hosting America’s Cup racing more than once.
In 2020, the island was scheduled to host an America’s Cup World Series regatta before the global sailing calendar was dismantled by the COVID-19 pandemic. A second opportunity followed in 2023, with races planned for October, but those arrangements fell apart earlier in the year amid tensions between regional authorities and the event organisers.
That decision ultimately saw the regatta relocated to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a move that triggered political and public debate in Italy and left Sardinia without a place on the America’s Cup calendar once again.
This time, however, the agreement is signed and publicly confirmed.
The Italian pathway to AC38
The Sardinia preliminary will be followed by a second preparatory regatta scheduled for Naples, the confirmed host city of the 38th America’s Cup Match.
Together, the two Italian events will shape the opening phase of the AC38 campaign, providing the first real insight into team form, early design thinking, and operational readiness ahead of the Challenger Selection Series.
For Italy, the announcement reinforces its central role in the next America’s Cup cycle. For the international fleet, Sardinia now represents the first on water marker on the road to Naples 2027.
Source: Franco Cuccureddu, Facebook post / Italian media reports
