Here is some massive news for endurance racing fans: the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest have just locked in a massive agreement that secures the FIA World Endurance Championship through to the end of 2037. The new contract takes over right when the current agreement expires at the end of 2027, guaranteeing another decade of growth for a championship currently living through a golden era.
Under this extended partnership, all regulatory processes will be managed by FIA Working Groups and the FIA Endurance Commission, needing final approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The homologation process is getting streamlined too, with the FIA and ACO overseeing every car in the Hypercar class. Plus, the FIA is bagging significantly increased branding across key spots like the podium, parc fermé, Safety Cars, and broadcast coverage.
This is not simply an agreement, it is a vital step forward for racing that will secure the future of the FIA World Endurance Championship for years to come,
Let us be honest, the numbers speak for themselves. Since kicking off in 2012, the series has set the global standard for long-distance circuit racing, but the Hypercar regulations introduced in 2021 sent interest skyrocketing. Trackside audiences grew 8% so far in 2026. Even better, 44% of attendees this year are aged 34 or younger, and 40% are experiencing an FIA WEC event for the very first time.
On the grid, eight of the world’s leading auto-manufacturers currently battle it out in the top Hypercar category. Add in the LMGT3 class introduced in 2024, and the championship boasts 14 marques in total. And the beast is only growing: Ford and McLaren are preparing to join the Hypercar ranks in 2027.
There is more. The deal sets up a solid framework to advance hydrogen powertrains in competition, paving a clear path toward sustainable transport. On top of that, a unified technical framework will debut from 2030, aligning top-level Hypercars competing in both the FIA WEC and IMSA in North America to give manufacturers greater cost-efficiency.
“This is not simply an agreement, it is a vital step forward for racing that will secure the future of the FIA World Endurance Championship for years to come,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA. Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, added: “We are delighted to see the agreement between the FIA and the ACO extended, reinforcing the strong and long-standing relationship that has been at the heart of the FIA World Endurance Championship since its creation in 2012.” Alberto Villarreal, General Manager at the FIA, noted that the championship is stronger and more popular than ever, while Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the Le Mans Endurance Management, emphasized that the extension provides a strong framework to build on this exceptional momentum.
