City Barcelona will once again host a flagship sporting event, as the 37th edition of the America’s Cup is set to be celebrated in 2024. In the coming days, a formal agreement is expected to be signed between the organizers and Team New Zealand, the winner of the last edition held in Auckland, who have chosen the Catalan capital for the next competition. Born in 1851, the legendary regatta is often described as the Formula 1 of sailing. The Barcelona Global association, through the Barcelona Partners agency, with the backing of all major institutions — Generalitat, City Council, Diputación, and Port of Barcelona — has submitted a candidacy aimed at obtaining the green light from the organizers.
The magnitude of this designation for the America’s Cup underscores its status as a premier economic driver among global sporting events. Market analysts and sports consultants estimate that only two events, the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, surpass it in terms of economic impact. In Barcelona, the project is expected to generate about €1,000 million through international visibility, investment, job creation, tourism, and broad audience engagement. The announcement is seen as a powerful boost to the city’s confidence at a moment when vitality in the region is a topic of public discussion.
The deal follows a March 18 visit by Grant Dalton, the managing director of Team New Zealand and the organizers, who toured the port facilities with Damià Calvet, Port Manager Jaume Collboni, and Aurora Catà, the First Vice President and Global Head of Barcelona. Dalton also held separate talks with Mayor Ada Colau, Deputy Mayor Jordi Martí, and Generalitat head Pere Aragonès.
Valencia, venue 2007 and 2010
The visit reinforced Barcelona’s commitment to hosting the Copa América, a decision also noted by Malaga as a potential host. Valencia, which has hosted the event twice before (in 2007 and 2010), did not proceed with its bid after organizers clarified their stance. Barcelona now faces a required license fee of €72 million for that year, with the competition anticipated to run in 2024. The America’s Cup will span beyond the race days, as participating teams may begin sailing in the waters around Barcelona as early as September, with arrival dates to be confirmed for the summer of 2024, typically about a year before the main regatta commences.
The agreement aligns with another major regional effort, the Barcelona-Pyrenees bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics. In this case, municipal consensus did not come as easily as it did for the Copa América. Mayor Ada Colau and Barcelona en Comú did not express enthusiasm for the Olympic project, while the municipal partner group, including the socialist faction, showed stronger support for the Copa América. In Barcelona en Comú’s view, an event like the Copa América aligns with a blue economy strategy and the broader goal of revitalizing the coastline to serve as a catalyst for transformation. The mayor’s remarks, shared on social channels after meeting Grant Dalton, underscored the city’s maritime identity and its track record of attracting and leveraging major sporting events to create synergies and long-term growth.