As Motorsport.com reports, the World Rally Championship is officially heading back to the United States next year, and we now know exactly where the beast will settle. Knoxville, Tennessee has been locked in as the host city for this long-awaited return.
Following the release of the expanded 15-round 2027 calendar, this gravel rally will form round 11 of the championship, running from 26-29 August. It marks the first time the series has raced in America since the Olympus Rally in 1988. Organizers have set the event headquarters, team base, fan festival, and the WRC Arena service park right at the city's World's Fair Park and Convention Centre.
The action kicks off in style with a ceremonial start on Nashville's Lower Broadway before heading out onto the stages. The rally will weave its way across 15 counties spanning Tennessee and Kentucky, cutting through the Appalachian Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau. Crews are going to face a wild mix of fast gravel roads, technical forest sections, and dramatic elevation changes.
US Rally president Matt Crews explained the ambition behind the setup, stating: “When the FIA and WRC Promoter put America back on the calendar, we set out to deliver far more than a race: an event experience, from Broadway to the Appalachian Mountains, that rivals any festival in the world and puts our state on a global stage like no other.” Tennessee Governor Bill Lee shared the excitement, welcoming the championship back after nearly 40 years away.
Securing a massive American footprint has long been a priority for the championship, serving as the direct reason for expanding the schedule to 15 rounds. WRC Promoter CEO Eric Boullier pointed to the region as a spectacular and challenging setting for teams and manufacturers. Meanwhile, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized the immense growth opportunity, noting that motorsport is deeply embedded in the nation's cultural DNA as the series prepares to establish a major new pillar in North America.
