Next America’s Cup in 2027. Here’s what the British and New Zealanders have decided (for now)

We anticipated this, but now it is official. Emirates Team New Zealand, winner of the last America’s Cup, has accepted the challenge from the British. The British Royal Yacht Squadron, represented by INEOS Britannia is the Challenger of Record for the 38th America’s Cup, the challenger who enters first and has the right to discuss the rules of the next edition with the defender.

America’s Cup, British are Challenger of Record

And, we are quick to say, let’s hope that Baronet Ben Ainslie(we told you who he is here) at the helm of the British team and INEOS boss Jim Ratcliffe will be less “conceding” to the New Zealand defender than we saw in issue number 37 of the “old jug.” The hope is that the British will try to limit New Zealand’s dominance on a few points. In particular the arm movement software, provided one design by the New Zealanders, is one point that should be eliminated by leaving free design to the unions. And then there is also the issue of New Zealanders’ participation in the Louis Vuitton Cup, round robins in this case, a move seen done only to Oracle in the past. Eliminating these two points would slightly limit Team New Zealand’s power, make the Cup a little fairer, but still not erode the technological and design advantage the Kiwis currently have.

In the meantime, let’s see what the Defender (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) and the Challenger of Record (Royal Yacht Squadron) have agreed upon for now.

1. America’s Cup. AC75 confirmed as Cup boat number 38

The boats in which the next Cup will be raced are still the AC75s, flying monohulls equipped with foils, and participating teams will only be allowed to build one new AC75 for edition 38. These will obviously be new generation boats compared to those seen at sea in Barcelona.

2. Rule of nationality

The existing rule on crew nationality in Protocol AC37 will be retained, with the provisions for Emerging Nations to be revised. The rule requires that each sailor on the team must have at least in the 4 years prior to the challenge a passport from the country to which the union yacht club belongs.

3. America’s Cup final by October 19, 2027.

The final match of the America’s Cup is expected to take place within three years of the completion of the final match of the just-past edition(thus, in theory by October 19, 2027). The date may be subject to any necessary adjustments for the hemisphere in which it will take place, with the location to be announced by the Defender within eight months of the final match of the 37th Cup(so by June 19, 2025) and a Protocol published as soon as possible within that period.

4. You can’t sail as much as you want with AC75

The following restrictions will apply to the navigation and testing of AC75 and AC40:

• No sailing of AC75s for a period of 12 months from the date of Cup Final Number 37(thus until October 12, 2025), except when participating in any Preliminary Regattas that may be organized, subject to the possibility of early sailing of AC75s by new teams.
• No development on prototypes (like Luna Rossa’s LEQ), but no restrictions on sailing boats that stay within the AC40 class rules;
• A limit on the total number of sailing days with AC75 will be introduced.

5. Roof to budget and carbon

The Defender and COR agreed to investigate and, where appropriate, implement other significant campaign cost-cutting measures, including a budget cap and cap on carbon for participating teams, and work on a strategy to further commercialize the America’s Cup.

6. More preliminary races, including fleet races

There is an intention to increase the number of Preliminary Regattas to provide more regular racing during the AC38 cycle, with a mixture of AC40 and AC75 racing, considering both fleet racing formats and match racing for AC40s and AC75s. Both the Defender and Challenger of Record are committed to replicating if not implementing the success of the AC37 Women’s and Youth America’s Cup events. Further details regarding the planned event schedule, venue, and related matters will be announced in the future.