US Team Enters 38th America's Cup in Naples

NAPLES, Italy — An American team has been confirmed as a challenger for the 38th America's Cup, ensuring the United States will compete in the prestigious sailing event for the first time since 2024, organizers announced Wednesday.

American Racing Challenger Team USA, representing Sail Newport in Rhode Island, will join the competition in the Bay of Naples in July 2027. The team, led by veteran yachtsman Ken Read, acquired key assets from the previous U.S. entrant, American Magic, including the AC75 yacht Patriot and two AC40 platforms. This move followed the withdrawal of American Magic in October 2025 and the recent decision by another potential U.S. team, Riptide Racing, to abandon its plans.

The entry comes after organizers extended the deadline for late submissions from October 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026, to encourage broader participation. Event officials vetted several applications before approving the American challenge, averting the possibility of the first America's Cup without a U.S. boat since the event's inception in 1851.

The United States has a storied history in the competition, securing a record 25 victories and defending the trophy for 132 consecutive years...