NEW YORK — The America's Cup returned to the Hudson River during the July 4th weekend in 2026, carried by the Italian Navy training ship Amerigo Vespucci. The event coincided with the Sail4th naval review, which marked the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Marzio Perrelli, the first CEO of the America's Cup Partnership, brought the Cup to New York. The partnership was formed in December 2025 by five founding teams: Emirates Team New Zealand, Athena Racing, Luna Rossa, Tudor Team Alinghi, and K-Challenge. "I'm here because there was this big event for the 250th anniversary, and the Amerigo Vespucci was here, so we brought the Cup on it," Perrelli said. "That was an opportunity to bring the Cup back to New York, where everything started almost two centuries ago."

The America's Cup is scheduled to take place in Naples in 2027, marking the first time the regatta will be held in Italy. The America's Cup Partnership plans to combine the regatta with the redevelopment of Bagnoli, an industrial waterfront area outside Naples. Italy's Unimpresa Research Center estimates the immediate economic return from the event at approximately €700 million.

Perrelli was selected as CEO by the five founding teams. "It was the decision of moving from the Defender to the America's Cup Partnership," Perrelli said. "That was the key element." He described the selection process: "I ended up interviewing with all the the challengers, who were founders. And after a few interviews, I was asked to join the partnership."

Perrelli outlined a shift in focus for participating teams. "The mindset of the teams has to change, because now they need to think as a whole, not just as individuals," he said. "Before, it was very egoistic: You focus on you, you don't care about the other guys. Now they need to start thinking about the overall platform. If the platform grows, each team benefits economically." The Luna Rossa Team trained in Naples Bay on July 6, 2026, in preparation for the 2027 event.

The Amerigo Vespucci, a tall ship built in 1931 at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in Naples, played a role in the Cup's return to New York. The America's Cup was initially won by a New York yacht in 1851. Perrelli joined Goldman Sachs' New York training program in 1993, working for 11 years before opening the firm's Milan office. Later, he ran HSBC's Italian business and became the head of Sky Sport Italia, where he worked for eight years.