How to watch the America's Cup on the BBC

Great Britain are bidding to win the America's Cup for the first time in the competition's 173-year history - and you can watch the opening two races on the BBC.

Ineos Britannia take on defending champions Team New Zealand in a best-of-13 race series starting in Barcelona on Saturday at 13:00 BST.

The team is skippered by four-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie and heavily backed by British billionaire and Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

They beat Italy 7-4 earlier this month to qualify for the event for the first time since 1964.

The America's Cup is the oldest active competition in sport, having first taken place in 1851.

After beating a fleet of British boats in the first event, the New York Yacht Club retained the trophy for 132 years before losing to Australia. New Zealand and Switzerland are the only other two nations to lift the trophy.

Great Britain won a six-nation challenger series earlier this month to qualify for the event for the first time in 60 years.

Great Britain will take on defending champions New Zealand, who have won the past two editions, in a best-of-13 series, with the winner of each race scoring one point and the loser no points. The first team to score seven points wins.

Saturday: Races one and two

Sunday: Races three and four

Wednesday: Races five and six

Friday: Races seven and eight (if required)

19 October: Race nine and 10 (if required)

20 October: Races 11 and 12 (if required)

21 October: Final race (if required)

Watch the first two races live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app from 13:00 BST on Saturday.