Auckland SailGP on the 2026 calendar
- Dave Worsley
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
SailGP will return to Auckland's Waitematā Harbour in February next year, inbetween two events in Australia.
Auckland will host the F50 catamaran racing for a second time on 14 and 15 February, backing up from the debut event in the city in January this year.
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Ten events on the calendar for next season were announced in April - Perth, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Bermuda, New York, Halifax, Portsmouth, Saint-Tropez, Dubai and Abu Dhabi - with the Auckland event added on Friday and one more European event yet to be confirmed.
Perth will host the 2026 season opener on 17 and 18 January, marking a change from this season which began in Dubai in November last year, before racing heads to Auckland and then on to Sydney a fortnight later as the 11-month-long championship enters a new era of starting the season in the Asia-Pacific region.
SailGP chief executive Sir Russell Coutts said the next season of the championship was the "most expansive calendar to date".
The competition was moving towards a regionalised format with multi-year hosting agreements, aiming to reduce travel distances and improve operational efficiencies.
The Auckland event was supported by the government's Major Events Fund.
Auckland's involvement for the 2027 season and beyond was still being negotiated.
SailGP is set to expand the 12-boat fleet next season and expressions of interest from potential owners for two new teams are open until mid-August.
SailGP Championship - 2026 season calendar
17-18 January - Perth Sail Grand Prix
14-15 February - New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland
28 February - 1 March - Sydney Sail Grand Prix
11-12 April - Rio Sail Grand Prix
9-10 May - Bermuda Sail Grand Prix
30-31 May - New York Sail Grand Prix
20-21 June - Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax
July - Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth
Sep / Oct - European Sail Grand Prix | TBC
12-13 September - France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
21-22 November - Dubai Sail Grand Prix
28-29 November - Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix - 2026 season Grand Final