SailGP reaches milestone in sixth season

(June 19, 2026) – SailGP announced today that MSP Sports Capital has acquired a majority stake in the New Zealand SailGP Team – completing a landmark milestone for the league as all 13 national teams are now owned by strategic third party partners.

The acquisition of the Black Foils – led by Olympic champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke – marks MSP’s entry into SailGP, adding the New Zealand SailGP Team to a global sports portfolio that includes or has included the X Games League, McLaren Racing, and Everton FC.

A global private equity firm in the sports ecosystem, MSP was founded by veteran investor-operators Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, whose expertise spans the world’s largest sports leagues, including MLB, NBA, NFL, F1 and European football.

“This is a very significant milestone for SailGP – and one we set out to reach from the very beginning,” said SailGP Co-Founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts. “The goal of SailGP has always been to build something that world-class investors and sports operators would want to own – to have MSP Sports Capital, led by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, join our ownership group is further validation of that vision.”

Founded in 2019 by Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Coutts, SailGP was established using a centrally-owned business model with the goal of transitioning to private team ownership. Half way through Season Six, all 13 national teams are now privately owned and operated.

The news follows recent high-profile acquisitions in the 2026 Season, including Quantum Pacific’s purchase of the Spain SailGP Team, the sale of the Danish-flagged Rockwool Racing to Orlando Magic owner Doug DeVos, and the Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds-backed ownership group behind the Bonds Flying Roos (Australia) last year.

Burling and Tuke, three-time Olympic medalists and multiple America’s Cup winners, will remain as co-CEOs of the Black Foils – leading a roster of elite sail racing talent competing at the highest levels of the sport.

Representing one of sailing’s powerhouse nations, the Black Foils are among the most strategically valuable assets in the league – backed by legacy, a loyal global fanbase and strong commercial traction.

With a new boat following a significant collision in the second event of the season, the Black Foils return to the startline at Sail Grand Prix  Halifax on June 20-21.

Crew list: https://sailgp.com/news/26/revealed-full-crew-lists-canada-sail-grand-prix-halifax/

SailGP information – Halifax details – How to watch

Season 6 Results (after 6 of 13 events)
1. Australia, Tom Slingsby (AUS), 2-1-5-1-1-1, 55 points
2. Great Britain, Dylan Fletcher (GBR), 1-2-2-12-4-2, 44
3. United States, Taylor Canfield (USA), 5-7-1-4-7-6, 36
4. Spain, Diego Botin (ESP), 12-3-3-2-2-12, 34
5. France, Quentin Delapierre (FRA), 3-4*-13-8-9-4, 32
6. Sweden, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), 4-5-9-3-11-5, 29
7. Germany, Erik Heil (GER), 9-6-8-6-3-11, 23
8. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested (DEN), 8-9-6-5-7, 22
9. Canada, Giles Scott (CAN/GBR), 6-10-11-10-6-3, 20
10. Italy, Phil Robertson (NZL), 7-13-4-7-8-9, 20
11. Switzerland, Sébastien Schneiter (SUI), 11-12-10-11-5-8, 10
12. Brazil, Martine Grael (BRA), 10-11-7-9-12-10, 8
13. New Zealand, Peter Burling (NZL), 13-8-12-13-13-13, 2
* Received compensation points for Sydney due to boat damage in Event 2.

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
• Sept 5-6 – Valencia, Spain
• Sept 19-20 – Geneva, Switzerland
• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
Note: The 11th event was moved to Geneva from Saint-Tropez, France.

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 league teams are privately owned, with New Zealand as the last to be acquired on June 19, 2026.

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.

F50 Configuration:
All teams use same configuration based on weather forecast. There are four wingsail sizes (18m, 24m, 27.5m, and 29m), six jib sizes, two T-foil daggerboards (high-speed and low-speed), and one set of rudders with high-speed and low-speed settings.

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