Dakar Rally 2027 Moves Out Of Saudi Arabia Amid Security Concerns
Dakar Rally organizers, Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), have jointly decided that the 2027 edition of the rally will not be held in Saudi Arabia, following recent developments and security concerns in the region. The organizers say the rally will return to the kingdom in 2028. Here’s what happened.
The Dakar Rally Leaves Saudi Arabia After 7 Years
Since 2020, Saudi Arabia has hosted seven consecutive editions of the Dakar Rally, turning the kingdom’s geographical diversity into one of the most grueling rally raids in the world. But for the first time in seven years, the race will not take place in the kingdom.
The 2027 season was scheduled for 1 to 15 January 2027, but it won’t happen due to the Iran war and deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia. The organizers say this is a one-off decision, taken in coordination with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and with the support of FIA and FIM.
This is the latest sporting event in Saudi Arabia to be disrupted by regional conflicts. It follows the World Rally Championship dropping Saudi Arabia from its calendar, as well as golf’s Asian Tour postponing the Saudi International indefinitely, tennis’ Six Kings Slam being postponed to December, and cycling’s Urban World Championships being canceled not too long ago.
The Dakar Rally 2027 Will Still Take Place, Though
That doesn’t mean we still won’t get to enjoy the toughest off-road race on the planet next year. ASO will organize the rally in a different region and announce its location in the coming days.
According to Reuters’ sources involved in the World Rally-Raid Championship, the rally is likely to return to Africa for 2027. While nothing is confirmed yet, the 2027 event may head to classic rally-raid locations, like Morocco, a key location in the sport for its challenging desert stages similar to Saudi Arabia, or Senegal, the traditional finish of the original Paris-Dakar Rally.
The organizers claim the rally will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028, marking a landmark celebration of the rally’s 50th anniversary. Both ASO and SMC are already working to make this happen.
This is not the first time the rally has changed regions. Originally known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, the race started in European cities such as Paris and later in Spain and Portugal, traversing the Sahara Desert to finish in Dakar, Senegal. Security threats in Mauritania led to the cancellation of the 2008 event, after which the rally moved to South America, with stages in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. In 2020, it shifted exclusively to Saudi Arabia.
Check back with TopSpeed for more updates on the Dakar Rally 2027.
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