(Long Beach, 17 July, 2025) The Long Beach Yacht Club and World Match Racing Tour today announced the dates for the 2026 Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup and Ficker Cup, both official stages of the World Match Racing Tour, the longest running global professional sailing series.
2026 will mark the 61st edition of the iconic Congressional Cup event to be held April 29 through May 3, 2026 with a practice day on April 28. The Ficker Cup, a qualifying event, will be held April 24 through April 26, with a practice day on April 23. Both events will kick off the first US based World Match Racing Tour events for the 2026 season.
The Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup is widely regarded as the ‘granddaddy’ of modern world-class match racing. Established in 1965, the event pioneered on-the-water umpiring which is now used at all match racing events around the world. Its fleet of identical Catalina 37s – a proven monohull designed specifically for match racing – continues to provide a uniquely competitive and physically demanding platform.
As a founding event of the World Match RacingTour (WMRT), which this year celebrates its 25th Anniversary, the Congressional Cup will continue its format as a ten-team, double round robin series, followed by semi and petit finals. The final stage will determine the victor of the Congressional Cup trophy and prestigious Crimson Blazer.
The event will feature an all-star, international lineup, including some of the world’s top 10 ranked match racing skippers. Eight invitees, to be announced later this year, will be joined by the top two finishers from the 2026 Ficker Cup, the official qualifier for the Congressional Cup.
“The City of Long Beach is a waterfront playground in the heart of Southern California” said 2026 Congressional Cup Chair Ken Mattfeld, noting its designation as the ‘Aquatic Capital of America’. “This year’s 60th Anniversary of the Congressional Cup was a very special milestone for the event, and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best match racers and the World Match Racing Tour back to Long Beach again in 2026.”
For more information on the Long Beach Congressional Cup, visit www.thecongressionalcup.com and via social media at @lbycconcup, and via YouTube
For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, visit www.wmrt.com and via social media at Facebook and Instagram @wordmatchracingtour, and via YouTube
ABOUT THE CONGRESSIONAL CUP
The Congressional Cup is hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC), renowned for its outstanding hospitality and organization, utilizing the talents and energy of more than 300 member volunteers. The premier club of Long Beach, Calif. was established in 1929 and is recognized as a leading organization in the international yachting community for its commitment to excellence in yacht racing and innovation in race management. LBYC is home to many outstanding sailors and Olympic champions. In addition to hosting numerous local, national and international yachting events, the Club’s member families enjoy a year-round calendar of social, yachting and junior activities at its beautiful clubhouse on the shore of Alamitos Bay. Long Beach will also serve as a key venue for the 2028 Olympic Games, further cementing its legacy as a premier sailing destination.www.thecongressionalcup.com
ABOUT WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR
Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The WMRT is awarded ‘Special Event’ status by the sport’s world governing body –World Sailing – and the winner of the WMRT each year is crowned World Sailing Match Racing World Champion. Since 2000, theWorld Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD24million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors. www.wmrt.com
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