For 173 years the America’s Cup has never been raced in Italy. That changes in 2027 — but Naples isn’t waiting. From 24 to 27 September 2026, the Bay of Naples will host the second Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta, the first time defenders and challengers will ever test the winds off Castel dell’Ovo.

Think of it as the dress rehearsal for history.

The event was confirmed by the America’s Cup organizers in May: Naples will stage the four-day regatta as a direct preview for the 2027 Cup. The racecourse will be set in the Bay of Naples, with teams temporarily based at Nisida while the permanent base in Bagnoli is still under construction.

It will feature eight AC40 foiling yachts, including three Women’s and Youth teams, sailing at 50+ knots just meters from the Lungomare.

Why Naples, why now?

The 38th America’s Cup will be sailed in Naples from 10-18 July 2027 — the first time the oldest trophy in sport comes to Italy. The host venue is Bagnoli, the former steelworks site west of the city, which is being transformed into a full Cup village with AC75 and AC40 bases, a superyacht marina, media center and a fan-centric Race Village.

Naples was named European Capital of Sport 2026, and the city is using the regatta to prove it can handle a global event. The government has earmarked more than €600 million for dredging, demolition and decontamination of Bagnoli — a project that has sparked protests from environmental groups who fear “rust, dust and superyachts” will lock in pollution rather than clean it.

Mayor Gaetano Manfredi calls it “the biggest waterfront regeneration since the post-war.” Critics call it a rush job. Either way, the cranes are already up.

The Italian boat: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Italy won’t just host — it will fight. The home challenger is Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, led by veteran helmsmen Ruggero Tita and Jimmy Spithill, with the backing of Patrizio Bertelli (Prada) and the Circolo della Vela Sicilia.

Luna Rossa just won the first preliminary regatta in Cagliari, Sardinia, beating Emirates Team New Zealand in a one-sided match race — a huge confidence boost ahead of Naples. The team has already moved a shore crew to Nisida and is testing AC40s in the Bay, learning the tricky thermal breeze that funnels between Vesuvius and Capri.

Gossip in the sailing bars of Borgo Marinari: Luna Rossa has hired three local Neapolitan grinders and is in talks with Luna Rossa Women’s helmsman Giulia Conti to do a public demo sail during the September weekend. The team wants the crowd.

The other confirmed challengers for 2027 are Emirates Team New Zealand (defender), INEOS Britannia (GB), Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Switzerland) and Orient Express Racing Team (France/K-Challenge).

How Naples is welcoming it

This is not a quiet yacht-club event. The city plans:

• A Race Village on Via Caracciolo, free to the public, with big screens, street food (expect cuoppo di mare, not canapés), and nightly concerts. Organizers aim to beat Barcelona 2024’s attendance record.

• School programs: 5,000 local students will get “Foiling Fridays” STEM lessons tied to the AC40 simulators.

• Superyacht berths in Mergellina, with 80 slots already pre-booked by Prada and Louis Vuitton clients.

• Temporary bases at Nisida — the small island naval base — while Bagnoli is finished. Locals joke the Navy will finally get a paint job.

Hoteliers report 70% occupancy for that weekend already, and Ryanair has added extra London-Naples flights. The buzz is real: for a city that lives for football and pizza, September will feel like San Gennaro meets the Olympics.

The gossip

1. Prada vs. Louis Vuitton: With LV as title sponsor and Prada backing Luna Rossa, the fashion war will be fought on the water. Insiders say Prada is planning a pop-up at Palazzo Donn’Anna during the regatta.

2. Celebrity spotting: Leonardo DiCaprio, a Luna Rossa fan since Auckland, has reportedly booked the Romeo Hotel’s entire top floor. Local papers claim Sofia Loren, 91, has been invited to fire the starting gun.

3. The wind worry: Neapolitan sailors warn September can be light. The race committee has built a “stadium course” just 300 meters off Castel dell’Ovo to guarantee TV-friendly breeze — and spray for the front-row fans.

Bottom line

From September 24-27, Naples won’t just watch the America’s Cup — it will feel it. Eight flying boats, one Italian team desperate to win at home, and a city that has waited 173 years to host the Auld Mug.

The 2026 regatta is only a preview. But for Neapolitans, it’s the moment their gulf stops being a postcard and starts being a racetrack.

As Luna Rossa’s CEO Max Sirena said after winning in Sardinia: “Winning in Cagliari was nice. Winning in Napoli will be history.”

Photo Credits: America’s Cup World Series 2015 by Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons