More teams, More events, More money

With the sixth season of SailGP starting January 17-18 in Perth, Australia, league CEO Russell Coutts believes the competition is entering its most fiercely contested era yet. And if you recognize the headline, it was also used before Season 5.

“With eight different teams winning events last season, it’s already extremely competitive,” Coutts said. “With Artemis SailGP Team joining, I’d expect them to be fighting for podiums straight away given the talent they’ve assembled.”

New teams, reshuffled line-ups and rising contenders mean reputations count for less once the F50s hit the water. With now 13 teams and 13 events, even the established big hitters are not immune to disruption.

“We’ve seen some key crew changes, even among the top teams, which will mix things up,” Coutts explained. “Teams like ROCKWOOL Racing and Germany by Deutsche Bank finished last season very strongly across very different conditions, and that’s impressive.”

Plus with SailGP’s prize purse at USD $12.8 million, every decision on the racecourse now carries real financial weight.

“Athletes are racing for significant money now,” Coutts said. “The season winners’ prize is becoming more substantial, and with more events on the calendar, the stakes are higher. The teams that win the most money are usually the ones winning championships.”

The 2026 season opens with a trio of venues that should test teams out of the gate. “They all have the potential to be windy, with Perth being the most challenging due to the combination of wind and waves,” Coutts explained. “Some teams will be delighted just to get through those events without damage.”

When it comes to predictions, Coutts is not shy about naming contenders. “I’d put Artemis in the top three,” he said. “The BONDS Flying Roos will be very strong, and Iain Jensen joining Tom Slingsby will be a good combination.”

That final podium spot, however, is wide open.

“The third spot is tough to call,” Coutts added. “Emirates GBR finished last season strongly, and it’s probably between them, the Black Foils or France. If I had to pick now, I’d go with the Brits.”

For Perth complete crew list, click here.

Season 6 – 2026 Schedule:
• Jan 17-18 – Perth, Australia
• Feb 14-15 – Auckland, New Zealand
• Feb 28-March 1 – Sydney, Australia
• Apr 11-12  – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• May 9-10 – Hamilton, Bermuda
• May 30-31 – New York, USA
• June 20-21 – Halifax, Canada
• July 25-26- Portsmouth, GBR
• August 22-23 – Sassnitz, Germany
• Sep / Oct – Spain (TBC)
• Sept 12-13 – Saint-Tropez, France
• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE

Season 6 format:
• Thirteen teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event is two days.
• All teams compete in up to seven qualifying fleet races of approximately 15 minutes.
• The top three teams from qualifying advance to a final race for the event title.
• The season ends with the Grand Final event which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams in the season standing.
• All teams are privately owned except for New Zealand and Spain which are owned by the league.

Season 6 prize money:
A total of USD $12.8 million is up for grabs in 2026. The winner of each of the 13 events takes home $400,000, with $260,000 for second and $140,000 for third. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins $400,000, while the team that wins the Championship Final Race wins USD $2 million.

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing among national teams in some of the iconic harbors around the globe.

Source: SailGP