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The 2027 Dakar Rally will not take place in Saudi Arabia as originally planned. Organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) have confirmed that the event will be relocated to another region.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, A.S.O. and SMC stated that the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East makes it impossible to stage the event in Saudi Arabia, where the world's toughest off-road race has been held continuously since 2020.
Despite the change of venue, the 49th edition of the Dakar Rally will go ahead as scheduled between 1 and 15 January, with the new route set to be officially announced in the coming days. The marathon is widely expected to head to Morocco, marking a return to its historic African roots. Organisers are also considering running the prologue in Portugal or Spain before the convoy crosses the Alboran Sea.
"Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) have jointly decided that Dakar Saudi Arabia 2027, scheduled for 1–15 January 2027, will not take place in the Kingdom due to recent regional developments. This is an exceptional, one-off decision taken in close coordination with the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and with the full backing of the FIA and FIM. Dakar 2027 will take place in another territory and will be organised entirely by A.S.O. The new location will be announced separately in the coming days. A.S.O. remains in direct contact with competitors, teams, and partners to support them through this transition period."
Organisers made it clear that the relocation is merely a temporary measure for the upcoming edition. Plans remain firmly in place for Dakar to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for the landmark 50th edition of the legendary rally raid.
The iconic event first took place in 1978, charting a route from Paris to the Senegalese capital of Dakar. The African continent remained the home of the rally for decades before the race shifted to South America in 2009. In 2020, the event moved to the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia, although initial plans also envisaged expanding into neighbouring countries in the region.
"Saudi Arabia will host Dakar 2028 – a historic edition that will mark the 50th running of the rally. Both organisations are already working together to make this milestone anniversary a remarkable occasion for Dakar and the Kingdom, united by their shared commitment to once again deliver an iconic, world-class event at the highest level."
Several motorsport events across the Middle East have been postponed or cancelled following the escalation of regional conflict in late February. While Formula 1 and MotoGP are continuing with their regional schedules—including races in Qatar and the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi—the situation in Saudi Arabia has grown increasingly complicated following attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces on key infrastructure in the country, including Riyadh airport earlier this month.
Formula E's new Gen4 era is also scheduled to get underway in Saudi Arabia, with the Jeddah street circuit pencilled in to host the season opener for the 2026–27 campaign on 18–19 December.
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