Admiral’s Cup 2027 will run from 15–30 July

The Admiral’s Cup had lain dormant for more than two decades before returning to the water this summer. Its rebirth was no muted affair: it was a cannon broadside of international talent, national pride, and hard-fought racing that reminded everyone why the event was once dubbed the “unofficial world championship of offshore sailing.” For two weeks, Cherbourg and Cowes were alive with flags, fanfare, and fierce rivalries, as national teams once again went toe-to-toe for one of the sport’s most coveted trophies.

Now, with the dates for 2027 set in stone, RORC is building towards what it expects will be an even grander spectacle. “The 2025 Admiral’s Cup marked a new chapter for this historic competition,” said Race Director Steve Cole. “The passion, skill, and camaraderie on display proved that the Cup still represents the ultimate test of team racing. In 2027, we intend to raise the bar even higher.”

The official programme will see boats gathering for measurement and inspection from Thursday 15 July, with a sequence of inshore and offshore challenges leading up to the grand finale: the Rolex Fastnet Race starting on Saturday 24 July. With that, crews will once more test themselves against the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the legendary Fastnet Rock before racing for home in one of the world’s most demanding offshore classics.

The 2025 winners — the Yacht Club de Monaco, skippered by Pierre Casiraghi and Peter Harrison — set a high benchmark. Casiraghi reflected: “The Admiral’s Cup is extraordinary. Fiercely competitive, brilliantly organised, and unique in its format. To be part of the winning team was an immense honour.” Their victory etched Monaco’s name alongside sailing’s great nations in the Cup’s roll of honour.

First contested in 1957, the Admiral’s Cup was born from a simple but radical idea: to pit nations against each other in a format combining tactical inshore battles with bruising offshore tests. Over the decades it became the Everest of offshore team racing, drawing fleets from the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, New Zealand, and beyond. Its legends include Goodison, Ainslie, and Stipanović, and its scars are carried in stories told over pints long after the sails came down.

RORC has promised that full entry criteria, race instructions, and a packed social calendar will follow in the months ahead. But the word is already out: teams from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania are sharpening their knives for 2027, keen to either defend their honour or write their name into Cup history for the first time.

If the 2025 event reignited the flame, 2027 looks set to pour oil on it. Offshore sailing’s crown jewel is back, and the Solent once more prepares to be the beating heart of the sport.