When is the America’s Cup final? Schedule and race days

Everything you need to know as Great Britain and New Zealand face off

Harry Latham-Coyle
Friday 11 October 2024 08:50 BST
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Ben Ainslie and his crew will challenge New Zealand for the Auld Mug
Ben Ainslie and his crew will challenge New Zealand for the Auld Mug (Getty Images)

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Great Britain will challenge for the America’s Cup for the first time in 60 years as they look to win the Auld Mug from holders New Zealand.

Ben Ainslie and his Ineos Britannia crew advanced past Italy to set up a challenge in the 37th running of the long-standing sailing competition.

First defended in 1870, a British vessel has not held the Cup since losing that opening encounter to the New York Yacht Club.

The New Zealand Yacht Squadron defended the prize in home waters in 2021.

Here’s everything you need to know:

When is the America’s Cup final?

The 37th America’s Cup will be raced from 12 October as a first to seven race wins match-race series in Barcelona.

When are the race days?

  • Saturday, October 12: Race 1, Race 2
  • Sunday, October 13: Race 3, Race 4
  • Monday, October 14: Reserve day (if required)
  • Wednesday, October 16: Race 5, Race 6
  • Thursday, October 17: Reserve day (if required)
  • Friday, October 18: Race 7, Race 8 (if required)
  • Saturday, October 19: Race 9 (if required), Race 10 (if required)
  • Sunday, October 20: Race 11 (if required), Race 12 (if required)
  • Monday, October 21: Race 13 (if required)
  • Tuesday, October22 to Sunday, October 27: Reserve days (if required)

How does it work?

The crews will race in the waters of Port Olimpic in Barcelona – a 3.2km course which requires boats to stay within a 0.9km width restriction, with a penalty if either boat strays outside.

Each race is split into six legs. The two teams race upwind on the opening leg, before sailing downwind on the second, and repeating until all six have been conquered – with the victors claiming a point towards their target of seven.

How can I watch?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the 2024 America’s Cup live on TNT Sports, with coverage beginning at 1pm BST on Sunday, October 12. Subscribers can stream via discovery+.

If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

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