The Copa América teams will concentrate in Port Vell

Much is compared the global projection that Barcelona had in the Olympic Games with the one expected to have with the celebration of the America's Cup. Its organizers must agree and work is already underway for its imposing trophy to go on tour like the Olympic torch does. As if that weren't enough, Emirates Team New Zealand, the winning team of the last regatta and responsible for organizing the next one, has remembered the lyrics of the mythical Barcelona to reveal the latest news of the competition: "Like a jewel in the sun was how Montserrat Caballé and Freddy Mercury described Barcelona in their famous song about the Catalan capital and the city is starting to shine as preparations advance to welcome the teams to their bases."

This is how the statement began in which Emirates Team New Zealand announced where the America's Cup participants will be located, a distribution worked hand in hand with the Port of Barcelona. With the aim of making it accessible to visitors who come to follow it, as well as to Barcelona residents, the bases will be concentrated in Port Vell. "We are very eager to show a first-class port and Barcelona," defended the president of the Port of Barcelona, Damià Calvet. In Port Vell, there will also be areas designated for spectators. For the America's Cup organizers, with the chosen locations, "the atmosphere promises to be electric and will serve to achieve the stated goal of the event reaching the widest possible audience."

As the historic protocol of the competition dictates, Emirates Team New Zealand was the first to choose its base and opted for the Muelle de Barcelona, next to the WTC. Then it was the turn of the team that will challenge the current owner of the trophy, INEOS Team Brittannia, which has decided to establish itself in the former Imax Port Vell cinemas. As planned, the America's Cup has delayed the second headquarters of the Liceu, which had also chosen this location and will have to wait for the regatta to finish before it can begin to materialize.

From now on, the rest of the teams will be able to choose among the four free bases, according to the order in which they registered for the America's Cup. Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, and American Magic are the participants who will complete the competition and will be able to choose among the bases located in the former Maremagnum cinemas, the Muelle de Ponent, Marina Barcelona 92, and the Muelle de Llevant. For the bases located on concessioned surfaces ---the last three--- a temporary transfer has been negotiated with the owning companies.

Once everyone has decided where they want their base to be, the Port de Barcelona will begin preparing the spaces, taking into account that a shed will be built in each of them to house the teams, which will then be dismantled. The six chosen spaces have an esplanade that will be the area where the temporary construction will be erected, as well as a sufficiently large mooring line. Teams are expected to arrive at the plots progressively between October 2022 and April 2023. From the teams and the regatta organization alone, an estimated 2,500 people are expected to come to Barcelona.