Everything You Need to Know: Watching SailGP 2025 in SF

Sail GP Returns to San Francisco in 2025, March 22 - 23

This coming weekend the adrenaline-packed SailGP Championship returns to San Francisco. It's hard to beat the venue; the San Francisco Bay is a renowned sailing mecca due to its strong winds, natural beauty, and iconic landmarks. With the race comes a full event weekend centered around the on-site Race Stadium, located next to Marina Green on the Yacht Club Peninsula.

What is SailGP?

The Rolex SailGP Championship was founded by Oracle's Larry Ellison as an alternative to the well known America's Cup. SailGP combines the sport of sailing with cutting-edge technology featuring the F50 foiling catamaran. The race weekend includes 3 to 4 intense, high speed fleet races on each day. In these fleet races the participating teams jockey for position to earn points. The three highest scoring teams qualify for the final race, a winner-takes-all event to decide the weekend's champion.

Where Can I Watch the SailGP Event?

There are several ways to watch the race weekend, but to be at the center of the action the best way is to watch from the SailGP Race Stadium. Strategically located near the Marina Green in San Francisco's northern Marina neighborhood, this location offers a clear view of the race finish line. This will also give you access to screens with the live broadcast and commentary of the race. The most beneficial part of this is seeing the F50s race on the big screens with an animated overlay of the race course. Without this it can be tougher to visualize the race boundaries.

To watch the event at the Race Stadium you can purchase grandstand tickets online, with options for standard or premium attendance. You can expect live entertainment, local food and drink, racing exhibits, and general facilities. The official race window is from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM but the stadium will be open from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

If you'd rather watch for free there are a multiple other options to see the F50 catamarans in action. Some spots that stand out as good viewpoints are Marina Green, Crissy Field, Fort Mason, Aquatic Park, and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate Bridge itself is usually noisy and windy, but there are plenty of trails and overlooks that should offer decent vantage points.

The last way to watch the race is through the Bring Your Own Boat program (BYOB). SailGP allows for the acquisition of flags that gives you access inside the exclusion zone next to the race boundary. You can of course watch from outside the exclusion zone, but it will be harder to follow the action. Read more about this program here.

Of course, the race will also be broadcast live if you can't attend in person. Read more about that here.

Which teams are racing this weekend?

The 12 teams that are competing in SailGP San Francisco are as follows:

• Australia
• Canada
• Rockwool DEN (Denmark)
• France
• GER Deutsche Bank (Germany)
• Emirates GBR (Great Britain)
• New Zealand
• Spain
• Switzerland
• United States
• Mubadala Brazil
• Red Bull Italy

What is there to do in the Marina district after the race?

The Marina offers a lot for visitors and SF locals alike. The bars in the area are likely to be filled with SailGP attendees after the race. If you're looking for something higher class, visit Balboa Cafe for their famous espresso martini, or For The Record for some signature refreshing cocktails.

If you're looking for more of a dive bar or local hangout, Monaghan's is a nice spot to grab a beer and play some pool. For the younger crowd Jaxon's and Union Street Ale House are pretty solid, but if you're over 25 it might feel reminiscent of your local college bar scene.

If you're looking for food or shopping take a walk down Chestnut St. There's always a bunch of people out on weekends, and there are plenty of shops and restaurants to visit.

For more active visitors, if you're into walks head over to Fort Mason from Marina Green. You can walk down to Aquatic Park, pass Ghiradelli Square, and head into Fisherman's Wharf. These are very lively areas and are two must-see spots for those visiting SF. Who doesn't love a tourist trap now and then? Worth mentioning that the Palace of Fine Arts is also right by Marina Green, which features its own park and some stunning architecture.

Is there accommodation near the event?

If you're looking to stay in the Marina there are a ton of hotels dotted around the area. When I lived on Lombard I was probably a block away from 6 different hotels/motels. The only one I've stayed at myself was the Sea Side Inn. It's nothing crazy but it's nice enough, clean, and in a good area for walking around.

Will there be parking near the SailGP event?

Parking is offered at the Palace of Fine Arts at 3301 Lyon Street. It will be first come first served with spots bought that day.

If you don't know already, parking in SF is pretty awful on a good day. Especially in the Marina. Worst case scenario you can probably find a spot in a parking garage or off of one of the busy streets (Lombard or Chestnut) where cars go to and from frequently.

Thanks for reading! For the full official SailGP FAQs you can read on their site here.