World Match Racing Tour Finals set for Historic Double-Header at Amaala Yacht Club
by World Match Racing Tour 19 Aug 05:04 UTC
2-7 & 9-14 November 2026
AMAALA Yacht Club © AYC
The World Match Racing Tour makes its Saudi Arabian debut this November, with AMAALA Yacht Club set to host the 2026 World Match Racing Tour Finals and Women's World Match Racing Tour Final.
Located on Saudia Arabia's northwestern Red Sea coast, AMAALA Yacht Club will provide a spectacular new stage for the world's leading match racers, with pristine waters and reliable trade winds creating exceptional conditions for racing. The Finals mark another milestone in the development of international sailing in the region and forms part of the club's wider ambition to establish AMAALA and the Red Sea as a leading destination for yachting, combining elite competition with opportunities to grow local participation in the sport.
For the first time, the final of the Women's World Match Racing Tour, launched in 2022, will be staged back-to-back with the Open World Match Racing Tour Final. Both events will also offer a $200,000 prize purse, with the women's event representing the largest prize ever offered for an all-female sailing event.
The announcement coincides with the release of the Notices of Race for both events. The 2026 Women's World Match Racing Tour Final will take place from Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th November, followed by the World Match Racing Tour Final from Monday 9th to Saturday 14th November. The winners of the Finals will be crowned 2026 Match Racing World Champions by World Sailing.
James Pleasance, Executive Director of the World Match Racing Tour, said: "This is a milestone year for the World Match Racing Tour. Not only is it the first time both world match racing tours will be hosted together, but I am particularly proud of our shared vision and achievement with AMAALA Yacht Club in announcing the first-ever 100% equal prize money across the open and women's world tours."
Adrian Peet, General Manager of AMAALA Yacht Club, added: "We're excited to welcome the World Match Racing Tour to Saudi Arabia for the first time this November. Hosting the Finals is an important milestone for AMAALA Yacht Club. Not only does it demonstrate the club's commitment to the sport, but it is also evidence of our ambition to support the growth of sailing in the region and establish the Red Sea as the leading destination for yachting.
"Bringing the Finals together for the first time makes the occasion even more significant. We look forward to welcoming the world's best match racers to AMAALA and showcasing everything this extraordinary destination has to offer."