Joining the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand and the official Challenger of Record, Athena Racing (GBR), are three teams from AC37: Italy’s Luna Rossa, the French K-Challenge, and the Swiss syndicate Tudor Team Alinghi.
These five teams are the founding members in the newly introduced America’s Cup Partnership Agreement (ACP), an initiative aimed at creating a sustainable infrastructure for sailing’s oldest and most prestigious competition.
Under the ACP, the event will run on a two-year cycle – a key benefit to teams and commercial partners looking to invest in the long term. AC38 and future America’s Cups will be run by an independent management team with oversight from a board of directors made up of representatives of the ACP members. Newly introduced budget caps and revenue sharing amongst the competing teams are hoped to make the event more accessible to new teams for long-term campaigns. A core element of the ACP is a commitment to the long-term future Women’s and Youth America’s Cup and the creation of accessible and diverse pathways into the competition.
The entry period for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup remains open until January 31, 2026, for potential new teams to join the ACP and the competition in Naples in 2027. Currently only one new syndicate has broken cover – leading American match race skipper Chris Poole’s Riptide Racing, which aims to ensure the US maintains its unbroken participation record in the 174-year-old competition. Unconfirmed rumours have also circulated around the possibilities of a second Italian Challenge and one from Australia.
This new era of collaboration between the teams presents an opportunity for the America’s Cup to uniquely position itself in the international professional sporting landscape, as one of sport's most demanding technical challenges. Throughout its long and storied history only four nations – the United States, Australia, Switzerland, and New Zealand – have lifted the 174-year-old trophy.
While the America's Cup has always been about designing and building the most technologically advanced boats of the era, recent cycles have seen a breathtaking step change in the complexity and performance of the yachts. Case in point: the AC75 foiling monohulls, now on their third AC cycle, represent the fastest and most technologically advanced sailboats the world has ever seen. These remarkable boats are capable of reaching speeds of 55.6 knots (102.9 km/h), and operate using computing power equivalent to five Formula 1 cars, monitoring over 30,000 data channels, and requiring more than one trillion simulation core hours during design and development.
“The ACP will ensure the America's Cup remains the ultimate proving ground for the world's best sailors and technological advancements," said Sir Ben Ainslie, team principal of Athena Racing. “It allows us to continue pushing the boundaries of naval architecture and sailing technology, maintaining the Cup's tradition as a catalyst for innovation, while providing the stability needed to grow our audience.”
Maxo Sirena, CEO of Luna Rossa, said the introduction of the ACP marked an historic moment for the America’s Cup.
“Luna Rossa has chosen to join a project aimed at ensuring stability, sustainability, and continuity for the America’s Cup, while respecting its values and its capacity for innovation,” he said. “A responsible choice toward the sport, our fans, and future generations of Italian sailors.”
Ernesto Bertarelli, owner of Tudor Team Alinghi said the partnership was the embodiment of a collective commitment to further elevating sailing on the global sporting stage, whilst remaining true to the America’s Cup’s traditions, values, and competitive spirit.
“By working together to create a more transparent and collaborative structure, we're ensuring that this iconic competition will thrive for generations to come,” he said. “We are proud to be part of its foundation, while renewing and strengthening our long-term partnership with Tudor.”
Stephan Kandler, co-CEO of K-Challenge said:
“France is an historic country for sailing and in the America’s Cup. K-Challenge has been involved since 2001 in various French Challenges; it therefore became a mission to be involved in the America’s Cup’s future as one of the founding members of the new Partnership, alongside legendary teams like Emirates Team New Zealand, Athena Racing, Luna Rossa and Tudor Team Alinghi. It will reinforce the exposure and image of the America’s Cup. It is a fantastic opportunity for the event and the teams to grow it at the same level as other leading sport properties.”
Meanwhile, David Graham, CEO of World Sailing congratulated the founding teams of the America’s Cup Partnership on the landmark announcement.
“Innovation and technical excellence are deeply rooted in the traditions of the America’s Cup, and this new alliance has the potential to expand the reach of our sport, inspire more people to get on the water, enhance visibility for our athletes, and elevate sailing’s standing in the wider sport sector,” Graham said.
Further information on the partnership, including details around dates and scheduling for AC38, are set to be revealed at an event in Naples on January 21.
