The 2027 Dakar Rally will not take place in Saudi Arabia, but the replacement location is yet to be confirmed.
The opening round of the World Rally-Raid Championship, scheduled for January 3-17, has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020, but in what’s been described as an “exceptional and one-off” decision, the event will take place somewhere else next year.
A joint statement from the FIA and A.S.O., the organizer of the Dakar, confirmed “recent developments in the region” were the cause of the change.
The statement continued: “Dakar 2027 will go ahead. The 2027 edition will take place in a different territory and will be organised by A.S.O. The location will be announced separately in the coming days. A.S.O. is in direct contact with competitors, teams and partners to support them through this transition.”
Saudi Arabia also lost its round of the World Rally Championship for 2026 due to ongoing conflict. That event was scheduled to run on November 11-14.
