Wednesday 11 / November / 2026
Muscat: Following their unbeaten qualification campaign in Thailand, the Oman SSL sailing team will officially depart for Brazil on 14 November, to compete in the prestigious Star Sailors League (SSL) Gold Cup Final 2026. Taking place from 15 November to 13 December in Rio de Janeiro, the championship will host 40 national teams competing for global glory in the waters of Guanabara Bay, hosted at the iconic Marina da Glória.
The Omani squad enters the competition well-prepared following an intensive training camp in Switzerland, where the crew fine-tuned their boat handling and tactical aspects ahead of the finals.
Representing the Sultanate of Oman at the SSL Gold Cup Final 2026 are 10 elite sailors from Oman Sail: Nasser Al Mashari (Skipper and Team Leader), Hussain Al Jabri, Yasser Al Rahbi, Ali Al Balushi, Akram Al Wahaibi, Haitham Al Wahaibi, Raad Al Hadi, Abdulrahman Al Mashari, Ibtisam Al Salmi, and Marwa Al Khaifi.
Speaking on the team’s preparations and expectations, Nasser Al Mashari, Team Leader and Skipper, said: “We are all incredibly proud to represent our nation in Brazil. Our recent training in Switzerland was crucial in sharpening our performance and building strong cohesion among the crew ahead of the finals. We know that racing against 39 of the best sailing nations in Rio de Janeiro will bring tough challenges—from reading the unpredictable breeze and currents of Guanabara Bay to maintaining consistency across a month-long regatta. However, our objective remains clear: to build on our strong qualifying form, perform to the best of our abilities, smart sailing with discipline, and fly the Omani flag high on the world stage.”
Highlighting the wider significance of the participation, Hashim Al Rashdi, Head Coach Performance, added: “Competing at the SSL Gold Cup Final represents a major milestone for Omani sailing. Facing 39 top national teams in identical boats provides our sailors with invaluable high-level international exposure and tests them against the very best in the sport. Our performance in qualification was very impressive and shows what the team is capable of. Experience at this global level accelerates the development of our national sailors by showing what is possible. It inspires the next generation back home, and reinforces Oman’s reputation as a strong competitive nation in world sailing.”
All of the teams will race aboard identical SSL 47 high-performance monohulls, creating an equal playing field where success relies entirely on tactical skill, execution speed, and seamless teamwork.
The competition started with 66 nations competing first in continental qualifiers. The final 40 will take to the waters of Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro for qualifying rounds leading to a quarter-final, semi-final, Petit Final and the Grand Final where the SSL Gold Cup trophy will be fought for.
The final qualifier for Pan-American nations precedes the Final Series, providing one more chance for nations to make the next phase.
The group stage begins on 19 November 2026 and runs through until 22 November.
More information about the Star Sailors League can be found at www.starsailors.com.
