When SailGP returns to Auckland in February, it will do so with a bigger event in more ways than one.
The global foiling league has already indicated its hopes for an expanded 14-team fleet for season six, which will also be the first since its maiden campaign in 2019 to run within a calendar year.
In Auckland, the event itself is also set to grow, with a 30% increase in grandstand size from that of the league’s debut in January. The expanded grandstand will accommodate up to 10,000 fans each day in the race stadium at Wynyard Pt, on top of hospitality and other ticketed offerings.
Alex Corry, SailGP’s head of event for New Zealand, said the new grandstand would have a capacity of 10,236 - up from 7740 this year - and would be expanding both outward and upward.
The changes will make it the league’s highest ticketed capacity event to date, with league chief executive Sir Russell Coutts saying the city was “designed for the close-to-shore racing” that defined SailGP.
The move comes after the regatta in January saw bumper crowds get out to see the racing, with 25,000 people across land and water-based ticket options, with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited confirming the event brought a multimillion-dollar boost to the city.
“After the success last time, it was [a case of] ‘how do we get more people here?’ It’s certainly led by SailGP, but we’re thrilled to increase the size of the stand,” Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said.
The Auckland regatta in 2026 is expected to have a different structure to it, given the proposed inclusion of two new teams.
In January, SailGP trialled a split-fleet format in practice racing in Auckland and had considered the possibility to using it in actual racing before ultimately deciding to continue with the full-fleet format.
However, an extra two teams in the starting box would make things very crowded, so it is expected the split-fleet structure will be introduced for the 2026 season, while keeping to a strict broadcast window.
Speaking to the Herald about the proposed move to split-fleet racing in January, Coutts said it would likely see each group compete in two races each day, before the top two from each would move into the podium race – pumping event finals up from three teams to four.
“We can’t race 14 teams on one of these courses. We just can’t,” Coutts said.
While completely committing to the exact structure of a 14-team race weekend won’t likely be made until later in the year, the league has continued to race that way in practice this season.
“It’s definitely a different dynamic,” Black Foils flight controller Leo Takahashi said of split-fleet sailing.
“Less boats that you can, I guess, worry about. It makes the starts a lot easier, less congested, and you can definitely get a better slingshot on the line, per se. And then, yeah, you can have a little bit more breathing space, which is a little bit nicer, and maybe less crashes as well.”
On where the league lands on a format for 2026, Takahashi said was wasn’t sure “where they’re going to go with it yet”.
“The more SailGP expands, the better for it and [it’s] really cool to see the growth of the league and how popular it’s getting all around the world.”
With the additional seating for the Auckland event, a child’s price (5-to-18-year-olds) will be introduced for the grandstand, while fans will be able to select their seats this year as well. There will also be a premium grandstand option, with all-inclusive food and drinks, and access to a premium bar. The SailGP+ pre-sale window runs from Friday, September 12 to Monday, September 15, 2025. Tickets will then be released to the general public on Wednesday, September 17.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.