World Sailing, the international governing body for sailing, expressed its support for the creation of the America’s Cup Partnership -ACP-, a historic alliance driven by five founding teams with the aim of establishing a new model of shared governance, economic sustainability and long-term growth for the oldest competition in international sport.
The ACP is formed by Emirates Team New Zealand (New Zealand), Athena Racing (Great Britain), Luna Rossa (Italy), Tudor Team Alinghi (Switzerland) and K-Challenge (France), and represents a turning point in the 174-year history of the America’s Cup, as it creates, for the first time, a common and permanent structure promoted directly by the participating teams.
The America’s Cup Partnership has been established as an entity designed to transform the traditional organisation of the competition, historically centred on the role of the defending team, towards a more balanced and collaborative governance model, with direct team representation and a shared strategic vision in the medium and long term. Its main objectives include the creation of a stable and predictable sporting calendar, the professionalisation of management through an independent team, and the implementation of economic sustainability mechanisms, including revenue sharing and cost control measures aimed at promoting greater competitive balance.
Preserving tradition while reaching wider audiences
World Sailing positively assessed the initiative, highlighting the collective commitment of the founding teams to stability and the development of elite sailing. Its Chief Executive Officer, David Graham, stated that “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, and strengthen sailing’s position within the global sporting ecosystem”.
From the teams, the Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Team New Zealand, Grant Dalton, said that “this is about preserving what makes the America’s Cup extraordinary while building a sustainable model that benefits everyone who shares a passion for this competition”. In the same vein, Sir Ben Ainslie, Team Principal of Athena Racing, noted that the ACP will allow the event to “maintain tradition as a catalyst for innovation, while providing the stability needed to grow the audience”.
A tradition of change and innovation in the history of the America’s Cup
First contested around the Isle of Wight, the America’s Cup, affectionately known as the ‘Auld Mug’, predates both the modern Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, and has historically served as a laboratory for technical and sporting innovation within sailing. Throughout its history, the competition has undergone key transformations, from the evolution of yacht classes to the introduction of hydrofoiling by Emirates Team New Zealand, alongside successive regulatory and technological changes designed to maintain its pioneering character. In this context, the creation of the ACP is presented as an institutional evolution consistent with this long-standing tradition of adaptation.
The launch of the America’s Cup Partnership follows the Protocol agreement reached between Emirates Team New Zealand, as Defender, and Athena Racing, as Challenger of Record, which set the framework for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, scheduled to take place in Naples, and paved the way for the new governance structure.
The founding teams will present further details of the ACP in Naples, while the entry period for new teams interested in joining both the Partnership and the competition will remain open in line with the announced calendar.
