Dubai holds key to SailGP's US$2 million grand final

The next time the Rolex SailGP Championship fleet takes to the water, it will be in Dubai, where seven teams will battle for the final remaining spot in the season-ending showdown.

Two months after the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix | Geneva, all 13 national teams will return to action at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World on November 21-22, 2026. The event is the penultimate meeting of the season, with the championship title set to be decided the following weekend.

Two months after the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix | Geneva, all 13 national teams will return to action at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World on November 21-22, 2026. The event is the penultimate meeting of the season, with the championship title set to be decided the following weekend.

Two teams have already secured their places in the final. The BONDS Flying Roos, three-time SailGP champions, sit top of the standings with 94 points, while Los Gallos booked their place after winning in Geneva. The 2024 champions have claimed three event victories this season and are second on 78 points.

That leaves just one place available, with the battle for third changing significantly in Geneva. Artemis SailGP Team, competing in its first season, arrived just one point behind the U.S. SailGP Team but finished the weekend three points clear of them, moving into third with 59 points.

Artemis could have extended that advantage further, having collected four points in Geneva while the U.S. team failed to score. The Americans were forced to draft in Martine Grael just days before the event after driver Taylor Canfield suffered a broken collarbone.

"Artemis will be the ones kicking themselves," said SailGP commentator Stevie Morrison.

"Having said that, you'd rather leave the event in the top three, so compared to the United States and Emirates GBR, they've got the box seat right now."

The U.S. sits on 56 points. Emirates GBR, who lifted their first Rolex SailGP Championship title in Abu Dhabi last year, is three further back on 53 and at risk of missing the chance to defend it.

Artemis driver Nathan Outteridge is taking nothing for granted. "The points are still super close and there's still two events to go - the Middle East is light like it was in Geneva, so we still need to improve our sailing skills if we want to get into the Final," he said.

"You can see that the top two teams are the top two teams for a reason - we'd love to be racing them in Abu Dhabi but we've got a bit of work to do still."

Dubai’s weather could have a significant influence on the racing. November usually brings relatively calm waters and temperatures of around 30C, creating favourable conditions for foiling while making things easier for the flight controllers keeping the F50s airborne. However, if the winds are lighter than expected, teams may opt for larger wings and fewer crew members, meaning those on board will have to take on multiple responsibilities.

The city-side course presents another challenge. Its narrow layout is designed to keep the fleet packed together, increasing the importance of strategists who must anticipate and react to the traffic around them. A sea wall running alongside the course can also disrupt the wind, potentially creating stronger breeze at one end than the other.

With 10 points awarded to the event winner and another 20 still up for grabs across the Dubai and Abu Dhabi events, the fight for the final Grand Final place remains wide open. DS Automobiles SailGP Team France (46), NorthStar (45), ROCKWOOL Racing (40) and Switzerland (39) are all still mathematically capable of breaking into the top three.

Four teams, meanwhile, have already been eliminated from contention. Germany, Red Bull Italy, Mubadala Brazil and the Black Foils, who reached the Grand Final in 2024, can no longer finish inside the top three.

There is also plenty at stake in Dubai itself, with the winner taking US$400,000 from an overall US$800,000 prize purse. The BONDS Flying Roos will be particularly keen to claim victory after leading the final at each of the previous two events but ultimately falling short. In Geneva, they were beaten by Los Gallos, who now arrive in the UAE full of confidence and momentum.

Tickets for the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World are on sale now at Tickets.SailGP.com/Dubai, with a range of options including:

•            VELA Beach Club - premium waterfront hospitality with live music, DJ sets and the best in food and beverage.

•            Premium Waterfront Grandstand - for the best views of the racecourse.

•            Waterfront Grandstand - high-energy, full racing action, suitable for all ages.

For more information please visit SailGP.com.