The next America’s Cup will be held off Naples, Italy, in 2027, holder Team New Zealand announced on Thursday.
It will be the 38th edition of the world’s most famous regatta and the first time it has been held in the Mediterranean country.
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FILE - Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE - Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE -Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE -Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE - In this June 19, 2017, file photo, J Class boats race as part of America's Cup sailing event, in waters off of Bermuda. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
New Zealand had the right to pick the venue after winning its third straight cup in Barcelona last year.
The cup holder said the races will be staged in the spring and summer of 2027. Naples previously hosted preliminary regattas before the 34th America's Cup in 2012. In its statement, the team said the races “will take place under the watchful shadow of Mt Vesuvius and just off the waterfront of the vibrant city.”
Italian yachts have reached the final match race three times, most recently Luna Rossa in 2021. Luna Rossa fell one step short in Barcelona, where the beachfront was teeming with Italian fans. Britannia beat Luna Rossa to reach the final, where it lost to the Kiwis.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli won the first Women's America's Cup in Barcelona and its youth team also won the event for young sailors.
New Zealand team boss Grant Dalton said that while the event would surely benefit from the Italian sailing fans, his team would have to play the spoiler.
“Italians are the most passionate and engaged America’s Cup audience and ... Luna Rossa are such an amazing team and strong competitor," he said. "So, from the defender’s position it certainly feels like we are entering the lion’s den competitively, but from an event perspective it feels like the perfect venue.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni applauded the choice, saying it reflected Italy’s naval tradition.
“It is a recognition of the very identity of our nation. Without the sea, in fact, we would not be what we are,” Meloni said. “We look forward to welcoming the America’s Cup. Italy will be up to this challenge, and will once again demonstrate to the world what it is capable of.”
Many New Zealand fans were angered when team Dalton took the cup away from Auckland, citing financial difficulties, after the local boat hosted the event and successfully defended its title in 2021.
Dalton left open the possibility of returning home for the 38th regatta if the money was there, but he discarded that option last month after the team failed to secure what it considered sufficient backing from the government.
Barcelona's municipal government opted not to bid to host another cup just days after Team New Zealand culminated its three-peat. The town hall said it was “a one-off event." The decision came amid protests against so-called “overtourism.”
The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sports trophy. It dates to 1851 when the schooner America bested the Royal Yacht Squadron around the Isle of Wight. Only four countries have won it, including the Australians and Swiss.
New Zealand is guaranteed a spot in the 2027 final as the defender, while challengers will compete to see who emerges as the other finalist.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
FILE - Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE - Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE -Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE -Oracle Racing Team of the U.S. sails past Castel dell'Ovo castle as it competes during the 34th America's Cup World Series Race day 1 regatta, in the Gulf of Naples, southern Italy, April 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)
FILE - In this June 19, 2017, file photo, J Class boats race as part of America's Cup sailing event, in waters off of Bermuda. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cedric Gray isn't concerned about Tennessee Titans fans wanting the first overall NFL draft pick for the second straight year.
The second-year linebacker and everyone else in the Titans locker room were focused on getting their second win of the season.
Behind a strong running game along with key plays on defense and special teams, the Titans snapped a seven-game skid as they held off the Cleveland Browns 31-29 on Sunday.
“We hadn’t won since Week 5, so it feels amazing,” said Gray, who had a team-high 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. “I’m not worried about the No. 1 overall pick. We’re ballplayers. We got heart every time we step on the field.”
Tony Pollard rushed for a career-high 161 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee averaged 5.3 yards per carry. The defense forced a pair of turnovers in the second half and the special teams blocked a punt, with those plays leading to 17 points.
“This is complementary football. Big plays in all three phases,” said interim coach Mike McCoy, who picked up his first win in seven games since he replaced the fired Brian Callahan.
Cam Ward, the top overall pick in April’s NFL draft, completed 14 of 28 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, his first game with multiple TD tosses. Ward also threw an interception but was sacked only once, the first time this season hadn't been taken down at least twice.
Cleveland's Shedeur Sanders passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns in his third start, and he also ran for a score in a matchup of rookies. However, Sanders threw a costly interception in the third quarter that led to Tennessee’s go-ahead TD.
The Titans (2-11) had a 31-17 lead with 6:17 remaining before the Browns scored a pair of touchdowns. Sanders had a 7-yard scramble with 4:27 left and threw a 7-yard TD pass to Harold Fannin Jr. with 1:03 remaining, but the Browns (3-10) missed both of their 2-point conversion attempts.
Cleveland attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Tennessee's Chimere Dike and the Titans ran out the clock.
Pollard, who had 25 carries, had a career-high 65-yard TD run late in the first quarter to give the Titans a 14-3 lead. After Cleveland rallied to take a 17-14 halftime advantage, Pollard put the Titans up for good with a 32-yard carry off left tackle. The third-quarter touchdown came two plays after Titans safety Xavier Woods picked off an ill-timed deep pass by Sanders and returned it 35 yards to the Browns 38.
After Gray recovered Dillon Sampson's fumble and returned it 19 yards to the Cleveland 8, the Titans extended their lead to 28-17 on Ward's 5-yard TD pass to Chimere Dike.
Joey Slye's field goal made it a two-touchdown advantage. That came after James Williams Sr. blocked a punt.
“Some of the things that happened that game, we expect more from our run defense,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We got to protect the ball. We had a punt blocked, and obviously not getting either the 2-point plays really off is frustrating. So that’s on all of us.”
Sanders completed 23 of 42 passes and was the Browns' first rookie quarterback since Baker Mayfield to have a 300-yard game. Fellow rookie Fannin finished with eight receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.
“I would say as time goes on, those decisions and those things, you know, will slim down. And we won’t be in situations where I have that feeling, like, I got to make something happen," Sanders said.
The Titans scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time this season when Ward hit Ayomanor on a crossing route for a 14-yard score. Ward was 4 of 4 for 48 yards on the eight-play drive. Tennessee came into the game as the only team without a TD on an opening drive.
“About time, honestly,” Ward said. “We have to continue to be efficient. I have to be efficient, throwing to my guys open, putting it in their radius to make plays.”
Sanders had a strong second quarter to help the Browns take a 17-14 halftime lead.
He found David Njoku in the left corner of the end zone on third-and-goal at the Titans 1. With 2:47 remaining, Sanders gave the Browns the lead with a 60-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy, the receiver's second TD this season.
Cleveland's Myles Garrett became the 14th player to record 20 sacks in a season when he got to Ward in the second quarter. With four games left, he needs three sacks to break the NFL record of 22 1/2 shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and Pittsburgh's TJ Watt.
“I think we really were licking our chops for the pass and they stuck with the run, and we really should have been focused on stopping the run,” Garrett said.
Titans: OT Dan Moore suffered a neck injury in the third quarter.
Browns: WR Malachi Corley (concussion) and Njoku (knee) were injured in the second quarter. C Ethan Pocic (Achilles tendon), CB Denzel Ward (calf) and WR Cedric Tillman (concussion) left in the second half.
Titans: At San Francisco next Sunday.
Browns: At Chicago next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs the ball for a touchdown as Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat (93) gives chase in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) visits with his father Deion Sanders, right, during warmups before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) catches a touchdown pass as Tennessee Titans cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. (39) defends in the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) sprints to the end zone after catching a touchdown pass as Tennessee Titans cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. (39) gives chase in the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) runs the ball for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
