It's now official: from 21 to 24 May Cagliari and its Gulf will officially launch Luna Rossa's adventure in the 38th America's Cup , the oldest sporting trophy in the world, which will culminate with the Louis Vuitton Cup regattas next spring in Naples.

Five teams have registered so far, each competing with two AC40 one-design foiling boats, one of which is dedicated to crews of women and young sailors. In addition to Luna Rossa, the defending champions New Zealand, Alinghi (Switzerland), Athena (Great Britain), and K-Challenge (France) will compete.

"It was a near miracle not only to have brought her to Cagliari but also to have kept the news secret for eight months of truly complex negotiations."

Tourism Councilor Franco Cuccureddu and Regional President Alessandra Todde celebrate shortly before the press conference to officially announce that the first preliminary regatta of the 38th America's Cup, which will award the title to Naples in July 2027, will be held in Sardinia.

"A great opportunity for Sardinia," says Cuccureddu, "and not just for Cagliari, because it puts it in a strong position to gain international visibility." The America's Cup is "one of the events with the highest attendance after the World Cup ." Spectators who "don't even worry about time zone differences."

But above all, it's an investment for the island, "with a direct economic return for the regional coffers ," he says. "We've allocated seven million euros, and we expect to recover about double that, with an estimated impact on the region of 50 million euros."

For Todde, it's proof that Sardinia can be "a leading player in the world of sport." It will be "an exceptional showcase that will place Sardinia in an international context, one of the most important. We can compete in this type of competition, and we can do it with our heads held high: this is an opportunity to tell the whole world."

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