SailGP hits global records in audience, economic impact and sponsorships in 2025 and celebrates Brazil’s debut with Martine Grael as the league’s first female driver.
A landmark season cements SailGP’s global rise
SailGP, the world’s most exciting high-speed sailing championship, wrapped up its 2025 season at full throttle and consolidated its position as one of the fastest-growing sports properties globally. With record figures in audience, on-site attendance, economic impact and commercial expansion, the league celebrated its first five years with unprecedented results.
Launched in 2019 by Sir Russell Coutts and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, SailGP now lives its strongest moment. The championship brings together high-performance teams, global investors and events that boost local economies while attracting millions of fans around the world.
Record calendar and historic Brazilian debut
The 2025 season featured 12 Grand Prix events, the largest schedule in the league’s history, and reached four new host cities: Portsmouth (UK), Sassnitz (Germany), Geneva (Switzerland) and Auckland (New Zealand). It was also the first time SailGP lined up 12 teams on the start line.
Among the newcomers is the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, the first South American team in the league. Brazil’s debut marked a historic milestone: Olympic double champion Martine Grael became the first woman to drive and captain a SailGP team.
Record audiences on TV and digital platforms
Across the season, SailGP reached 215 million viewers worldwide. The Spain Sail Grand Prix drew 23 million viewers, the highest audience in league history, while the Sydney Sail Grand Prix reached 21.2 million.
In the United States, the “Race to Abu Dhabi” attracted 3.469 million TV viewers, becoming the most-watched sailing race in US history. In Germany, the broadcast on ZDF gathered 2 million live viewers, setting a local record.
On digital platforms, the numbers were equally impressive: 1.65 billion social media views, a 90% increase versus 2024, and 1 million YouTube subscribers. More than 4 million viewers watched the global docuseries “Uncharted”, available on platforms such as Paramount+, Discovery and CANAL+.
On-site attendance and regional economic impact
More than 112,000 paying spectators attended SailGP events in person in 2025. With 68% of attendees traveling from outside the host regions, the championship generated an estimated US$ 230 million in regional economic impact.
The figures reinforce SailGP’s role as a powerful sports tourism and urban activation platform, driving demand for accommodation, services, entertainment and temporary jobs in host cities.
Commercial growth and new global partners
In 2025, SailGP expanded its roster of commercial partners and secured long-term agreements with leading global brands. Rolex became the league’s first title partner, strengthening its premium positioning.
New partners also include Emirates (official airline), DP World (global logistics), Accor (official hotel partner), KPMG (digital transformation partner) and Fever (global ticketing partner). Team valuations climbed above US$ 60 million, backed by international investors, celebrities and venture capital funds.
Innovation, speed records and sustainability
In 2025, the league opened SailGP Technologies, its new global innovation hub in Southampton, UK, following a US$ 10 million investment. The facility brings together more than 115 specialists leading technological advancements across the championship.
Among the season’s highlights are the new titanium T-Foils, which enabled boats to exceed 100 km/h. The ROCKWOOL Racing team set a new world speed record, reaching 103.93 km/h during the German event.
All SailGP events ran on 100% clean energy, underscoring the league’s sustainability commitments. The SailGP Inspire youth and community program impacted 10,583 young people in 2025 — including 5,300 in the United Arab Emirates — and has reached 33,261 participants since launch.
Looking ahead to 2026: a record 13 nations
The 2026 season kicks off in Perth, Australia, with the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG on 17–18 January. The new campaign will feature a record 13 national teams, including the debut of Artemis Racing representing Sweden.
“In 2025, SailGP cemented its status as a global leader in sport and entertainment, with record-breaking audiences and world-class racing taking our championship to new heights. As we enter a new era, we are immensely grateful to our growing family of partners and teams. Together, we are reinventing the sports and sponsorship landscape, proving SailGP’s global relevance — and we have ambitious plans to keep expanding in the years ahead,” says Andrew Thompson, SailGP CEO.
About the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team
The Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team represents Brazil at the highest level of global sailing as the country’s first team to compete in SailGP. Led by Martine Grael, the league’s first female driver and team captain, the crew includes some of the sport’s most accomplished athletes.
The line-up features Andy Maloney as Flight Controller and Leigh McMillan as Wing Trimmer, with Paul Goodison as strategist. Marco Grael and Mateus Isaac sail as Grinders, while Kahena Kunze serves as reserve sailor.
The Brazilian team’s naming rights partner is Mubadala, alongside Banco BRB, Ambipar, Vale and Atvos as Global Partners, and Oakberry and Ballena as Official Partners. The project highlights Brazil’s ongoing leadership in Olympic and professional sailing on the world stage.
