Legal battle ignites over America’s Cup

The good old days of the America’s Cup include the winner bringing the trophy home to defend. Simple. No confusion. No debate. But now, with the venue put out to bid, protest is a promise. Just when Naples was proving to be the exception for the 38th edition, the Il Mattino publication reports unrest in Italy:

The America’s Cup 2027 has sparked days of protests from residents of Bagnoli, the city to host team bases. Aidacon Consumers, a non-profit association which has as its mission the protection of the environment and consumers, is supporting them, and have also met with the Prefect of Naples while awaiting the general protest scheduled for Saturday, February 7.

The fear, expressed by activists and residents during recent demonstrations, is that the rush to meet the 2027 deadline is pushing institutions toward a faster but more dangerous overall solution. “We will not allow the health of Neapolitans to become a bargaining chip for a tourist showcase,” declares Carlo Claps, president of Aidacon (above).

“We have listened to the reasons of those protesting in the streets and made them our own. A ‘legal war’ strategy has been defined on three fronts to support citizens.

“First, we will submit a request for access to documents; we want to see the paperwork, not just the renderings. In addition, we will send a formal warning to the institutions, addressed to the special commissioner and the relevant ministries: any exemption from environmental regulations will be immediately challenged in the administrative court.

“Finally, we are considering a preventive class action: Aidacon is evaluating the grounds for a class action to protect the right to health of the residents of Bagnoli and Coroglio, threatening multi-million euro compensation claims if the remediation plan turns out to be a bluff. The committees are right to guard the territory, but the battle is also won in the courtrooms.”

Details: https://www.americascup.com/

Defender New Zealand and Challenger of Record from Great Britain confirmed the Protocol for the 38th America’s Cup on August 12, 2025. The close of the initial entry period was October 31, 2025, with late entries considered up to March 31, 2026. If no USA team participates in the 38th America’s Cup, it will be the first time in the event’s 175-year history.

Current entrants:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) – Defender
• Athena Racing (GBR) – Challenger of Record
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger
• Tudor Team Alinghi (SUI) – Challenger
• K-Challenge (FRA) – Challenger

After the 2024 event, Barcelona, Spain declined hosting another edition, with the venue moved to Naples, Italy. Challenger racing begins in the spring before the 38th Match on July 10-18, 2027.