Here is some massive news for rally fans in Great Britain: the FIA World Rally Championship is heading back to free-to-air television. As Crash.net reports, a brand new three-year deal has been struck with the BBC, bringing live coverage of the series back to British screens from 2027 through to the end of 2029.
That is right, the broadcaster that once served as the UK home for Formula 1 and MotoGP is diving back into top-tier motorsport. Under this fresh agreement, fans can expect one-hour highlight programmes from every single round, alongside selected live stages that include the crucial final Power Stage of all WRC rounds.
Our partnership with the BBC marks an important step in our strategy to grow the WRC’s reach and visibility in the UK,
That is not even the half of it. The BBC will also deliver extensive live coverage of Rally Scotland across all four of its days. This marks a massive homecoming for the sport, as Rally Scotland will serve as the first UK WRC round held since 2019. To pull this off, the broadcasting effort will run in collaboration with the BBC's Scotland, Cymru Wales, and Northern Ireland segments, alongside digital clips and highlights distributed across BBC platforms.
Rhuanedd Richards, the BBC Nations director, shared her enthusiasm for the partnership: “This is a fantastic addition to our sports portfolio with teams across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland coming together to bring audiences one of the world's most thrilling motorsport championships. The World Rally Championship combines elite sporting competition with dramatic locations and compelling stories, making it a natural fit for the BBC. The return of Rally Scotland to the WRC calendar is particularly exciting and we look forward to capturing all the thrills and excitement for audiences when it kicks off next year.”
Meanwhile, former McLaren team boss and current CEO of WRC Promoter Eric Boullier also weighed in on the agreement. “Our partnership with the BBC marks an important step in our strategy to grow the WRC’s reach and visibility in the UK,” Boullier said. “The BBC is one of the country’s most trusted and influential media organisations, and its powerful combination of television, digital and social platforms gives us a unique opportunity to reconnect with existing rally fans while introducing the championship to a new generation. With Rally Scotland joining the calendar next year, the timing could not be better to strengthen the WRC’s presence in such an important and historic market for rallying.”
Away from the broadcasting news, the championship has also confirmed a major calendar shift regarding its immediate future. The WRC 2026 season finale in Saudi Arabia has been officially cancelled due to the ongoing war in Iran. Consequently, the final round of that campaign will now take place in Sardinia on the weekend of 1-4 October.
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