Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The countdown to SailGP's 2026 championship has begun, with the waters off Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace getting ready to provide a new backdrop for the final race.
The fleet of 13 teams, including Mubadala Brazil and Emirates Great Britain, has left Valencia and is headed to Geneva in Switzerland for the 11th round of racing on water on September 19-20. Followed by a break, the final two races will be held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in November.
The penultimate round is scheduled for November 21-22. The following weekend (November 28-29), will see the $2-million decider — the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix, presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council — unfold for the first time at Emirates Palace.
Last season, Dubai hosted the opening event while the Emirates GBR team pipped everyone at the finish line in late drama for the season finale in front of a packed Mina Zayed waterfront in Abu Dhabi.
The 2026 season is the biggest in SailGP’s history, with teams from 13 countries competing on identical state-of-the-art F50 catamarans — at speeds of more than 100km/h just metres from the shore.
The competition is heating up as teams look to secure their place in the winner-takes-all grand final. Australia’s Bonds Flying Roos lead the fleet, 17 points ahead of Spain’s Los Gallos in second, but behind them the title race is wide open. Just five points separate the US SailGP Team, Artemis and Emirates GBR in the fight for the third and final spot in Abu Dhabi.
SailGP CEO Russell Coutts said: “This year’s championship finale looks set to be the most competitive yet. This year, we’re taking it to the next level, building in more world-class fan experiences and our grand final at the iconic Emirates Palace for the first time.”
Ahmad Al Hassan, CEO and Managing Director of DP World GCC, added: “As a business with deep roots in the maritime industry, we are especially proud to support an event that brings people together through world-class sailing.”
Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said hosting the event at Emirates Palace “reflects Abu Dhabi’s growing stature as a leading global destination for major international sporting events".
