SailGP, the premier global sailing competition, has moved to consolidate its future racing calendar by extending its hosting deals in Germany, Australia, Brazil, the US, the UK, and the UAE.
The competition announced that Sassnitz, the resort town on the German island of Rügen, will continue to host its Germany Sail Grand Prix until 2027.
The deal was announced during Sassnitz’s hosting debut for the event over the weekend (August 16 to 17) and will see the town stage the Grand Prix again in 2026 (August 22 to 23) and 2027 (August 21 to 22).
Perth in Australia, which will host its first SailGP event next year, will now feature on the calendar until at least 2028, while Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro will follow up its already-confirmed 2026 debut with another event in 2027.
Bermuda has also extended its deal through 2028, while New York City's Grand Prix will be staged in 2026 (May 30 to 31) and 2027 (June 5 to 6).
The competition’s UK stop at Portsmouth and the Dubai GP in the UAE have extended their hosting rights for one more year through 2027.
SailGP chief executive, Sir Russell Coutts, said: “As we grow SailGP into a truly global sports property, these long-term commitments with key venues are a critical step in delivering a world-class experience year after year.
“SailGP delivers far more than epic racing — it brings enduring economic and social impact to its host cities. With consistently high net promoter scores and global broadcast reach into 212 territories globally, SailGP offers incredible visibility and value. Repeat host venues benefit from even deeper legacy opportunities, a more sustained marketing program, and long-term community engagement.”
Next year's competition will be contained entirely within the 2026 calendar, with an 11-month fixture schedule that will begin in January in Perth. Previous years have competed across the new year.
SailGP’s calendar consolidation comes as the competition continues to secure private investment into its teams.
When the league was first established in 2019, the aim then was to transition to a model where teams were privately owned within five years, and over the last few months, significant progress towards that goal has been made.
Most recently, US sports-focused investment firm Next 3 Ventures took a stake in the US SailGP Team.
Led by Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Next 3 is backed by the Tisch family ownership group of the National Football League’s New York Giants franchise. Avenue Sports Fund, the investment vehicle of former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, remains the primary investor in the US SailGP Team.
In June, the French team from the sailing series completed its ownership group by selling a final stake to US private equity firm Ares Management. Ares, through its sports, media, and entertainment fund, has led the acquisition of the final 25% stake in SailGP’s French team, with Sportsology Capital Partners also joining.
June has also seen the Australian team bought up by iconic actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
The Italy SailGP team (which only launched in time for the ongoing 2025 season) was acquired in late May by a consortium featuring both international celebrities and experienced sports industry investors.
June also saw SailGP begin its tender process for two new teams in time for the 2026 season.
SailGP, currently comprised of 12 teams, also announced expansion plans for next year, with the Sports Business Group of professional services heavyweight Deloitte set to provide financial and advisory services to the UK-based league.
The deadline for initial bids closes this month, with SailGP saying the overall process is set to conclude in early September.
All 12 existing teams have also now renewed their participation agreements with SailGP for the 2026-2030 cycle.
The 2025 SailGP season began last November with the Dubai Sail Grand Prix, while the next race will be held in Saint-Tropez from September 12 to 13.
