The quest for the America's Cup begins in Cagliari
In late May, Sardinia's capital becomes the world capital of sailing
At the heart of the Mediterranean, elite sailing takes to the water. From 21 to 24 May 2026, the Golfo degli Angeli (Gulf of Angels) becomes the opening racecourse of the Louis Vuitton 38a America's Cup Preliminary Regatta Sardinia. The challenge begins in Cagliari, where sea, wind and light combine to create the perfect natural arena for the oldest international sporting competition in the world. The Road to Naples 2027 starts here, just a few hundred metres from the shoreline, on a stretch of water visible from the land and vibrating with energy. The boats fly past the waterfront, between the port and the Sant'Elia headland, driven by the Mistral, a wind that finds one of its most consistent and technical expressions in these very waters. It is a spectacle to follow from the seafront, from panoramic terraces and from the many hilltops that look out over the city.
The stars of the preliminary regatta are the AC40s, foiling one-design monohulls: identical hulls for all teams, conceived to bring out the very best in skill, strategy and crew cohesion. Here it is not technological advantage that determines the outcome, but the ability to read the wind, anticipate manoeuvres and choose the right line at the decisive moment. Racing takes place in a high-intensity fleet format: four races on Friday, four on Saturday and three on Sunday. Starts are simultaneous and fiercely contested, with constant position changes and close-quarter crossings that keep the crowds on the edge of their seats. At the end of the fleet racing, the top two teams advance to a match race final, a winner-takes-all showdown that decides the stage victory. Three of the five competing teams — Emirates Team New Zealand, GB1 and Luna Rossa — field two boats each: one official entry, one crewed by Youth & Women squads. Young sailors and female athletes enter the fray alongside teams steeped in America's Cup history, bringing fresh energy to a tradition that dates back to 1851.
Cagliari experiences sailing as part of its very identity. The racecourse unfolds within approximately two kilometres of the coast, making the competition both accessible and spectacular. From the seafront of Via Roma to the Lazzaretto di Sant'Elia, the city transforms into a vast open-air amphitheatre overlooking the water. The teams' operational bases take shape in the harbour area in the weeks before the event, as the AC40s begin their training runs in the gulf. On the water, dark sails and suspended hulls criss-cross the bay, while on shore the anticipation builds. The air carries the scent of saltwater and competition. The race village brings the waterfront to life with giant screens, a central stage, exhibition areas and dedicated spaces for fans. Here you can follow the racing live, watch the boats up close and breathe in the atmosphere of the Cup. The AC viewing promenade guides spectators along the seafront, offering privileged vantage points alongside talks, in-depth sessions and hands-on sailing experiences.
The America's Cup is a story stretching back more than 170 years: continents, oceans, technological breakthroughs and legendary helmsmen. Each edition renews the tradition and propels it into the future. The Cagliari stage marks the opening chapter of a journey that will culminate in Naples in 2027, but this is already serious competition: first impressions, first assessments, first hierarchies taking shape. In the Golfo degli Angeli, five international teams converge: defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand; Luna Rossa, Italy's colours, with their long-established strategic base right here in Cagliari; Swiss contenders Tudor Team Alinghi; British challengers GB1; and La Roche-Posay Racing Team from France. Each team brings its own identity, its own colours, its own vision of the challenge. The preliminary regattas are the proving ground where strategies are developed, rivals are studied and manoeuvres are sharpened. Every tack tells part of the story of the Cup to come.
Watching an AC40 lift clear of the water is an image that stays with you: the hull accelerates, the foils engage, and the boat rises, racing suspended above the surface, silent and powerful. It is technology applied to the wind, millimetre-perfect precision, pure adrenaline. Even those who have never set foot on a sailing boat can feel the force of this sport. The racing can be watched live, from shore or from the water in designated spectator areas, following every crossing, every tack, every sprint to the finish line. The waters of the Gulf of Angels become the stage, the city the backdrop and the wind, unseen but ever-present, the star of the show.
