America’s Cup teams will be required to compete with a female sailor on board, batteries will replace manual power, and a cost cap has been introduced, in a major shake-up for the next edition.

They are just two of the changes made for the 38th installment, with the long-awaited protocol confirmed and released today.

As was indicated in a draft version of the protocol made public by Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) in May, the number of sailors on board an AC75 will drop from eight, with neither grinders nor cyclors expected to feature, to just five now on the boat. The boats’ need for extra power will be met by a battery.

Of the sailors on board, one must be a woman. A sixth person will also be on the boat, with the protocol seeing the return of guest racers, giving VIPs, sponsors, media, influencers and dignitaries the chance to experience and report what it’s like in the thick of the action.

The regatta will be held in Naples, Italy in 2027, with the Cup match to be contested in July.

In a bold move for the Cup, the protocol sees the implementation of a partnership between all teams, establishing equal authority among those involved.

Known simply as the America’s Cup Partnership, the body will be responsible for organising and managing the event’s on- and off-water format and will oversee the development, protection and commercialisation of media and commercial rights.

Grant Dalton: "This transformation now gives all teams collective stewardship." Photo / Sailing Shots

“As the three-time successive winner and Defender of the America’s Cup and along with the [Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron] as current trustee, we feel the responsibility to continue to drive the growth of the America’s Cup event,” ETNZ chief executive Grant Dalton said.

“Although the America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and the pinnacle of sailing, its Achilles’ heel has always been its lack of continuity, so this transformation now gives all teams collective stewardship, and we are introducing a new executive management team to be headed up by a new independent CEO.

“By negotiating this protocol and the America’s Cup Partnership with the Challenger of Record, it provides certainty for teams, commercial partners and event venues to invest for multiple editions.

“This is the boldest change in 174 years of the Cup, while respecting the Deed of Gift, along with the Challenger of Record, we are confident this is the best initiative to grow what is already one of the greatest sporting events in the world.”

Team New Zealand making waves at the last regatta in Barcelona. Photo / Emirates Team New Zealand

As anticipated, the protocol also shows the famed regatta moving in the right direction in key areas for the average fan, with more sailing in the campaign and looser nationality rules to allow for increased competitiveness.

Teams will have a cost cap of $147 million (€75m) for the campaign, with existing teams to use the same AC75 hulls that were raced in Barcelona, if available. New teams will only be permitted to acquire an existing AC75 or build a new hull to the design of an AC75 hull.

The teams will compete in up to three preliminary regattas in 2026 and one in early 2027, which will be contested in the scaled-down AC40s. In those events, teams will be required to enter two boats, with one to be crewed by women and youth (under 25) sailors.

A final preliminary regatta will be raced in Naples in the AC75s immediately before the challenger series, as was the case in Barcelona.

The protocol was expected to be agreed upon and confirmed by late June; however ETNZ and the Challenger of Record, the UK’s Athena Racing, took more time to iron out the kinks of the framework to which the event will be run.

Athena Racing boss Sir Ben Ainslie and Royal Yacht Squadron chairman Bertie Bickett arrived in Auckland over the weekend to meet with ETNZ, with the protocol subsequently being signed off on Tuesday.

It will be of great relief to the challenging syndicates, who can now get to work on preparing their campaigns in order to challenge for the Auld Mug in Naples.

Key features of the protocol for the 38th America’s Cup

• Establishment of the America’s Cup Partnership, giving teams equal authority. The body will be responsible for organising and managing the event’s on- and off-water format and will oversee the development, protection and commercialisation of media and commercial rights.
• Two non-nationals will be allowed to sail on board.
• Crews are reduced from eight to five sailors. One of those five sailors must be a woman.
• The Youth and Women’s America’s Cups will continue.
• Teams will have a cost cap of $147m and all existing teams must use the same AC75 hull sailed in the last edition if available. New teams will be allowed to acquire an existing hull or build a new one.
• There will be up to four preliminary regattas contested on AC40s; three in 2026 and one in early 2027. All teams will be required to enter two boats in these, with one crewed by women and youth sailors.
• The group stage of the challenger series will feature both fleet and match racing in a revamped race format.

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.