SailGP bullish on Middle East

The final two events of the 2026 SailGP season take the 13 teams to the Middle East:

• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE

But given the uncertainty in the region due to an ongoing military conflict with Iran and USA, and much of it occurring on the same waters as these race venues, would the league seek a more certain alternative?

Apparently not, as tickets are now on sale for both events that will be “perfect for families, friends, and fans looking for a day of adrenaline and fun by the water.” That is, as long as Iran is not lashing out at the UAE in retaliation for USA actions.

The governments from Australia, Canada, USA, and many European nations are among those who consider travel to the UAE as a bad idea, with the USA issuing a Level 3 advisory “due to armed conflict risks, terrorism threats, and regional drone or missile activity.” Level 4 is the worst.

SailGP information – How to watch

Season 6 Results (after 10 of 13 events)
1. Australia, Tom Slingsby (AUS), 2-1-5-1-1-1-4-7-1-2, 85 points
2. Spain, Diego Botin (ESP), 12-3-3-2-2-12-1-1-3-5, 68
3. United States, Taylor Canfield (USA), 5-7-1-4-7-6-6-6-11-1, 56
4. Sweden, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), 4-5-9-3-11-5-2-2-5-9, 55
5. Great Britain, Dylan Fletcher (GBR), 1-2-2-12-4-2-11-11-9-6, 51
6. Canada, Giles Scott (CAN/GBR), 6-10-11-10-6-3-8-3-2-10, 41
7. France, Quentin Delapierre (FRA), 3-4*-13-8-9-4-10-8-6-12, 41
8. Germany, Erik Heil (GER), 9-6-8-6-3-11-7-10-7-8, 35
9. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested (DEN), 8-9-6-5-7-12-9-10-4, 32
10. Switzerland, Sébastien Schneiter (SUI), 11-12-10-11-5-8-3-4-8-7, 32
11. Italy, Phil Robertson (NZL), 7-13-4-7-8-9-9-12-12-3, 30
12. New Zealand, Peter Burling (NZL), 13-8-12-13-13-13-5-5-4-11, 21
13. Brazil, Martine Grael/Paul Goodison (BRA/GBR), 10-11-7-9-12-10-13-13-13-13, 8
* 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.
• The league has shifted to a split fleet format for qualifying, using season standings to balance the two groups.
• The top two from each fleet advance to a 4-boat 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.