America’s Cup: Team New Zealand confirms Auckland will not host in 2027
The next America’s Cup in 2027 may be headed to Europe. Image courtesy of America’s Cup.
Emirates Team New Zealand has confirmed that New Zealand will not host the defence of the 38th America’s Cup in 2027.
In a statement released yesterday (31 March 2025), the New Zealand central government and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) confirmed they have decided not to back the next America’s Cup being hosted in Auckland, stating they have other priorities amid a tough economic climate.
Since winning the 37th America’s Cup in October last year, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Emirates Team New Zealand had been exploring the possibility of hosting the 38th America’s Cup in Auckland with a combination of private backing, local government and central government funding.
The New Zealand government and Auckland Council’s bid to host the 37th America’s Cup in Auckland was rejected in 2022, leading to a controversial decision to host the event in Barcelona.
After that announcement, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union told the media it had sent a bouquet of flowers to the Spanish Taxpayers’ Union (Unión de Contribuyentes) “in gratitude”.
In a statement, Emirates Team New Zealand says: ‘In this time, the team have had comfort in the level of private support and has been working with Tataki Auckland Unlimited, who have been proactively spearheading the bid. So, it is with both disappointment and understanding to hear MBIE and central government have decided not to back the 38th America’s Cup in Auckland in 2027.
‘While the significant economic benefits of hosting the America’s Cup and other major events are well proven, such as €1.034bn (NZ$1.9bn) of economic benefits in Barcelona in 2024, we understand there are other priorities for the New Zealand government right now.’
An estimated 2.5m people attended the event in Barcelona, and Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton has hinted the event may seek a different venue that can accommodate more teams.
Where will the America’s Cup be held?
Attention now turns to which cities may make a successful bid for the competition, which takes place every three to four years and is set to return in 2027. A decision is due by June of this year, if not sooner.
European sailing journalist Fabio Pozzo, writing in the Italian newspaper La Stampa, reports that Athens and Naples are the most likely venues.
“There are two European cities in pole position to be the venue for the cup. The first is Naples, which has already presented its candidacy to host one or more stages of the SailGP and which has already hosted in the past — with incredible public success — the ACTs leading up to the Louis Vuitton Cup, and which offers an ideal gulf for sailing and the necessary glamour (see Capri, etc.). In addition, there is an Italian team in the running, Luna Rossa, and this is not an insignificant detail.
“The second city in pole position is Athens, which would be making its debut in the panorama of the cup, but which has already hosted the Olympics and other major sporting events and which probably, after the dark years of the economic crisis and the forced bailout by the troika, which avoided collapse and allowed the country to remain in the EU, needs a major event to turn “the lights” back on.
“In both cases, there would be the support of the respective governments, with a financial proposal exceeding 100 million euros plus the necessary infrastructure.”
While Rio de Janeiro had been mooted as a potential host in recent months, this theory seems to have lost traction, with Dalton reportedly keen to capitalise on growing European interest in the cup.
I am Very sorry about NZLD not being able to host the Cup .
Sad!
Athèns and Naples where I organised an LV évent years ago would be great venues !!
it is not the Americas cup and will never be.Go back to having the Americas cups like they had in Perth. Proper sailing crews reading the winds and sailing through the seas.