Final preparations ahead of America's Cup kickoff in Barcelona

Barcelona is finishing off the last stages of preparation ahead of the beginning of the America's Cup on Thursday.

This week sees an initial Preliminary Regatta take place from Thursday to Sunday, a mini competition to whet the appetite ahead of the more serious business. 

America's Cup Event Barcelona (ACE), organizers of the competition, explained that the Race Village at Moll de la Fusta will be the focal point for fans to follow the races, with a capacity for 9,500 people.

The space will open on Thursday for the four days of the Preliminary Regatta, and will then reopen from August 29 and be open every day until the end of the competition in late October.

The Race Village will have giant screens and leisure and dining options. There will be more fan zones closer to the water, in Plaça del Mar and around Bogatell.

"These four days are a first test," Joan Torrella, municipal coordinator for the America's Cup, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN). The Preliminary Regatta will be the first chance to test out the different spaces for fans to enjoy the race, and the mobility plan to control the movement of people.

"There are always last-minute things, but we are ready for it to be a success," Torrella said.

Thursday will also be the first time that the six teams competing for the trophy will face off.

Where to enjoy the America's Cup

The regattas will take place between 2pm and 4pm, depending on the weather conditions of the day, and can be followed from Barcelona's beaches with the naked eye.

The biggest meeting space for fans will be the Race Village at Moll de la Fusta, which will have large screens and a total experience area of ​​around 25,000 square meters.

As well as the races themselves, there will be programs surrounding them taking place on stages at the Race Village every day. 

Later in the evenings, there will be different artistic activities on these same stages.

The food on offer will focus on Catalan cuisine and will come from around 40 renowned restaurants, alternating weekly. 

Large screens will also be set up at the fan zones in Plaça del Mar and at Bogatell beach.

In all cases, the large screens will come with a televised production that will allow viewers to understand what is happening.

Mobility plan

An Operational Monitoring Committee of the event will meet every day from Wednesday. Its main objective will be to guarantee the success and smooth running of the event.

One of the key points they will oversee management of mobility in the area and in the neighborhood of La Barceloneta.

City council authorities recommend getting to the viewing areas by public transport, on foot, or by bicycle.

The mobility plan foresees that the residents of Barceloneta, as well as the workers in the area, will have access to the area at all times.

Around 11,000 vehicles belonging to residents and workers of the area have been accredited to access the neighborhood during the event, since access by private vehicle may be restricted at certain times.

Podcast

Listen to our podcast on the America's Cup below, first published in September 2023, including an interview with event CEO Grant Dalton of defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand. Dalton considered bringing the sailing championship to Barcelona: "The best call" in his life.