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Unified governance to professionalize the America's Cup
It's a historic turn for the oldest trophy in international sport. Five teams competing in the 38th America's Cup have announced the creation of a joint governance structure. The name of this entity: America's Cup Partnership (ACP). Its role: to give sporting, economic and institutional stability to an event which, since 1851, has always been built on a certain form of imbalance between the Defender and its Challengers.
The signatories are Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Athena Racing (GBR), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA), Tudor Team Alinghi (SUI) and K-Challenge (FRA). They will lay the foundations for this new alliance at an event in Naples on January 21, 2026, one year before the next Cup.
A two-year timetable to secure long-term investment
This is undoubtedly the most structuring measure of the new partnership. From now on, the America's Cup will be contested every two years. This regularity meets the expectations of broadcasters, sponsors and logistics partners. It also enables teams to plan their technical and sporting development cycles more effectively, avoiding the long periods of uncertainty that have marked some past editions.
It also positions the America's Cup in a more legible model on an international scale, in line with other professional circuits (Formula 1, SailGP, MotoGP...).
Independent management to break away from the logic of sporting autocracy
Until now, the implicit rule has been that the Defender sets the conditions of the test. This will no longer be the case with the ACP. From now on, the organization will be entrusted to an independent management team, dedicated solely to coordinating logistics, marketing the event and managing the competition from one edition to the next. The aim is to break away from the structural domination of the Defender, while ensuring continuity of resources.
This choice also reflects a desire to professionalize the Cup's business model, in order to create a more stable and attractive product.
Another pillar of the partnership is the introduction of a system of revenue sharing and cost control. By pooling certain expenditure items (logistics, security, infrastructure, etc.), the teams aim to make the competition more accessible to new entrants, without levelling the technical playing field. This should also encourage greater competitiveness between teams, by limiting budget differences.
The system is reminiscent of certain closed professional leagues, but remains open to new challengers until January 31, 2026, the closing date for entries for the 38th Cup in Naples.
A technological showcase that stays on top
The Americaâ??s Cup remains a high-intensity naval laboratory. The AC75 âeuros foiling monohulls today reach speeds in excess of 55 knots, with electronic instrumentation equivalent to five F1 cars, and more than 30,000 on-board sensors. The development of a boat requires more than a trillion hours of simulation computing.
The new partnership guarantees that technological innovation will remain at the heart of the program, with a focus on advances in composite materials, simulation tools and embedded systems.
The America's Cup for women and young people remains a major focus of the project. The partnership calls for each team to include at least one female sailor aboard the AC75 from the 2027 edition, a first in the regatta's history. This is accompanied by the maintenance of competitions dedicated to training programs, to create a more direct link between youth programs and senior crews.
For national federations, it's a concrete opportunity to structure a high-performance sector with a visible, high-profile outlet.
A strong signal to professional sailors
By committing to this collective governance, teams such as Luna Rossa and Tudor Team Alinghi intend to have a more active influence on the future of the Cup. Max Sirena (ITA) speaks of a responsible choice for the future of generations of sailors, while Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI) sees in this alliance the guarantee of a more transparent and collaborative structure. Frenchman Stephan Kandler of K-Challenge sees it as a way of strengthening the French presence in the history of the Cup.
